Would Italy Be Ready To Play At The 2026 World Cup After Trump Envoy’s Proposal? | OneFootball

It has been a disastrous few years for the Italian national team. After failing to qualify for the 2022 World Cup, the Azzurri were eliminated in the round of 16 by Switzerland as defending Euro champions. They were also humbled by Argentina in the Finalissima, losing 3-0. It has been clear for some time that Italian football has been trending downward at the national team level.

Failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup – either directly from the group or through the playoffs – has only compounded the sense of disaster around the side. It means that a tournament featuring Curacao and Cape Verde amongst the competitors is missing a four-time champion. This is nothing short of shameful for the FIGC.

ZENICA, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA – MARCH 31: Players of Italy show their dejection of Italy during the FIFA World Cup 2026 European Qualifiers KO play-offs match between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Italy at Stadion Bilino Polje on March 31, 2026 in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina. (Photo by Getty Images/Getty Images)

With tensions rising between the United States and several of the participating nations, President Trump’s Special Envoy Paolo Zampolli was quick to suggest that Italy could serve as a replacement for sides removed from the tournament. It was never going to work, and the Italian authorities were quick to shoot down the prospect, but would the team have been ready to take to the world stage?

Group G Could Have Offered Progression Prospect for Italy

Iran was the side that the Italian national team was proposed to replace. That would have placed the Azzurri in Group G alongside Belgium, Egypt, and New Zealand. With all due respect to the latter two of those sides, only the Red Devils would be perceived as daunting competition for Italy. It is easy to see a world in which The Blues progress in second place from that group.

Belgium is the favourite in the World Cup odds to progress from Group G as the winner, but Italy would certainly be up there should they have been drafted in. When the Azzurri were on their way to winning Euro 2020, the Belgians were one of the sides that were swatted away in the knockouts. Five years may have passed since that quarter-final, but it would certainly still feature in many fans’ consideration.

Egypt has never progressed past the group stage in a modern World Cup, and New Zealand has yet to win a game at a finals. Even the current iteration of Italy would fancy its chances and should have been expected to go into the knockouts. However, it would have been the later stages that concerned fans, with any of the major players looking like stumbling blocks.

A Tournament Stacked With Stars and Record-Breaking Legends

A quick look at the sides that are favourites for the World Cup shows where Italy’s issue lies. All of the sides possess some of the cream of the crop of world football, including record-breaking stars that would feature in an all-time XI. England has Harry Kane, France has Kylian Mbappe, Argentina still has Lionel Messi, and Spain has the likes of Lamine Yamal.

ZENICA, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA – MARCH 31: Gianluigi Donnarumma of Italy shows his dejection after the FIFA World Cup 2026 European Qualifiers KO play-offs match between Bosnia & Herzegovina and Italy at Stadion Bilino Polje on March 31, 2026 in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina. (Photo by Getty Images/Getty Images)

Italy, by contrast, is not experiencing anything like a Golden Generation. Its best player is, without a doubt, Gianluigi Donnarumma. The Manchester City stopper is undoubtedly one of the greatest in the world – and potentially of all time – but the lack of any world-class options in the outfield positions serves as an indicator of where the national team is at right now.

When players like Bonucci and Chiellini retired, it marked the end of a generation of players who were competing for the highest honours. One of the genuine stars of the Euro 2020 win, Federico Chiesa, is barely leaving the bench for a dire Liverpool side. Italian football feels like it is at its lowest ebb in terms of domestic talent for some time.

It is safe to say that, if Italy had been a wildcard at the 2026 World Cup, few would have had them down for success. More than a decade since they last qualified for the tournament, the Azzurri look as far away as ever from adding a fifth title and are falling behind the sides they once dominated.