STAR SPORTS DESK

Italy’s World Cup nightmare deepened on Tuesday as the four-time champions crashed out in the playoffs once again, falling 4-1 on penalties to Bosnia and Herzegovina after a 1-1 draw -- a result that has sparked nationwide outrage and renewed calls for sweeping reform.

The Azzurri looked on course early when Moise Kean fired them ahead in the 15th minute, but the match turned just before halftime when Alessandro Bastoni was sent off for a last-man tackle. Reduced to 10 men, Italy struggled to maintain control, and Haris Tabakovic struck an equaliser 11 minutes from time to force penalties.

Misses from Pio Esposito and Bryan Cristante proved costly as Bosnia converted all their spot-kicks, with 18-year-old Kerim Alajbegovic once again showing composure under pressure.

The defeat means Italy will miss a third consecutive World Cup, extending an astonishing decline for a nation that last lifted the trophy in 2006 and has not played a knockout match at the tournament since.

Head coach Gennaro Gattuso cut an emotional figure after the match. “Today the boys didn’t deserve a beating like this,” he told RAI. “We were left with 10 players, we had three decent chances and they barely troubled us. I’m sorry… I’m proud of my boys.”

But pride offered little consolation back home.

Italy woke up to fury and disbelief, with Corriere della Sera branding it “the World Cup curse,” while La Gazzetta dello Sport and Corriere dello Sport, the country’s two main sports newspapers declared: “We’re all staying at home.” Fans echoed that frustration.

“Everything went badly from the start,” said Rome supporter Davide Caldaretta. “The team wasn’t good… honestly, I’m shocked.”

The backlash quickly turned political. Italy’s Sports Minister Andrea Abodi called for change at the top, saying, “Italian football needs to be rebuilt from the ground up,” while members of the ruling coalition demanded the resignation of federation president Gabriele Gravina, whose future will be discussed at a board meeting next week.

“It is an unacceptable disgrace,” the League Party, a member of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s coalition, wrote on Instagram.

Even legends weighed in. “Today’s results are the consequence of our attitude from 20 years ago,” said Gianluigi Buffon, pointing to a failure to evolve beyond past greats.

Group A

Mexico

South Korea

South Africa

Czechia

Group B

Canada

Switzerland

Qatar

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Group C

Brazil

Morocco

Scotland

Haiti

Group D

USA

Australia

Paraguay

Turkey

Group E

Germany

Ecuador

Ivory Coast

Curacao

Group F

Netherlands

Japan

Tunisia

Sweden

Group G

Belgium

Iran

Egypt

New Zealand

Group H

Spain

Uruguay

Saudi Arabia

Cape Verde

Group I

France

Senegal

Norway

Iraq

Group J

Argentina

Austria

Algeria

Jordan

Group K

Portugal

Colombia

Uzbekistan

DR Congo

Group L

England

Croatia

Panama

Ghana