Italy XI vs Bosnia & Herzegovina – Predicted lineup and team news

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The Football Faithful

·31 March 2026

Italy XI vs Bosnia & Herzegovina – Predicted lineup and team news

Italy and Bosnia & Herzegovina meet on Tuesday night in a do-or-die FIFA World Cup 2026 European play-off in Zenica, with the winners booking their ticket to this summer’s tournament.

The Azzurri reached the final with a 2-0 knockout victory over Northern Ireland, while the Bosnians beat Wales in a penalty shootout.

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Having lost play-off ties in qualifying for both the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, and missing those two tournaments as a result, Italy are desperate not to suffer heartbreak at this stage for the third consecutive time.

Italy team news

Gennaro Gattuso is expected to stick closely to the starting side that beat Northern Ireland, keeping his usual system based on intense pressing and front-foot football.

Sandro Tonali should again sit at the base of midfield as Italy’s main controller, while Moise Kean and Mateo Retegui are in line to continue in attack, though there is a chance Francesco Pio Esposito could be selected ahead of Retegui.

Kean has really stepped up during his time in Florence, scoring 19 Serie A goals for Fiorentina last season and adding nine more this year despite the team’s dip in form.

His confidence is high after becoming the first Italian player since Totò Schillaci at Italia ’90 to score in five matches in a row for the national team, and he will look to make it six as he tries to fire Italy to the 2026 World Cup.