TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Italy entered their final Group I match needing a wildly improbable 9–0 win over Norway to qualify directly for the 2026 World Cup. That scenario was always unrealistic. What stung far more was the manner of their defeat: a 1-4 collapse at the San Siro.
Gli Azzurri’s structure and mentality unraveled as the match progressed, forcing Italy into the playoff route after finishing second in the group with 18 points—six behind leaders Norway, who advanced with a perfect eight wins from eight.
Italy must now win two playoff matches in March to secure a World Cup spot. Failure would mean missing the tournament for the third consecutive edition.
Italy actually started brightly. In the first half, they pressed high, controlled the tempo, and pinned Norway in their own half. Francesco Pio Esposito put them ahead in the 11th minute, and Italy looked determined to prove themselves. But their momentum evaporated after the break.
Norway turned the match on its head with four goals: Antonio Nusa equalized in the 63rd minute, Erling Haaland struck twice in the 78th and 79th minutes, and Jørgen Strand Larsen added a stoppage-time goal. As Norway gained control, Italy lost theirs—conceding space, composure, and eventually confidence.
Head coach Gennaro Gattuso rejected suggestions that fitness was the issue. Instead, he pointed to a psychological collapse.
“We mustn’t get so scared and hold back, as at the first setback we lose confidence,” he told Football Italia.
The problem, he said, was not stamina but mentality: poor decisions, loss of organization, and a collective failure to respond under pressure.
Midfielder Manuel Locatelli echoed the sentiment, saying Italy crumbled too easily. Their second-half disarray, he said, should never occur at World Cup qualifying level.
“We tried to score the second goal, but then were fragile, and this must not happen again. We've got to see where we got it wrong, as, in certain moments, we need to stay more united,” he told Sky Sports.
Italy will face the playoff semifinal on March 26, 2026, with the draw set for November 20. “We must arrive in March with a completely different mindset,” Locatelli said.
Captain Gianluigi Donnarumma was blunt in his assessment. Italy, he said, stopped playing after conceding and “lost all confidence.”
The goalkeeper, now with Manchester City, stressed that the real issue was not the fourth Norway goal—but the team’s emotional collapse after the equalizer.
“The biggest problem is that we stopped playing in the second half,” he said.
“It’s a painful defeat, but we’ve got to lift our heads up, because it is all at stake in March with those two games. We must rediscover our confidence and self-belief, and I am sure thanks also to our coach that we will do it.”
The word “fragile” appeared repeatedly across post-match interviews. Donnarumma admitted it is natural to feel pressure against strong opponents, but not to completely fall apart after one setback.
“A chance can happen against a great side like Norway, but it is not possible that you just fall apart, totally lose confidence, totally lose control of the game. That is not acceptable.”
He added that Italy must improve not just tactically but emotionally. “When we concede, we cannot lose our way. Five or ten minutes of pressure is normal. We must handle it together.”
Donnarumma also delivered a direct message to supporters. “I am upset and disappointed, just like I’m sure they are. We apologise to the supporters, because there were so many tonight showing their passion.“
“All I can say is that we need them in March, to stay together and experience the game as one, because the fans are too important for us,” he said, adding that Italy will need that backing again in the playoffs.
“These were two completely different halves tonight and we cannot allow that.”
Italy still has a pathway to qualify but must navigate a tense playoff. They remain favorites and will host the semifinal at the New Balance Arena in Bergamo. Yet memories of past failures linger—Italy missed the last two World Cups after faltering in playoff matches, fueling public anxiety ahead of March.
Gattuso plans to use the coming months to rebuild both structure and confidence. He aims to hold additional training sessions at Coverciano in February 2026, though the FIFA calendar is still uncertain.
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