Chiellini: ‘Three World Cup absences are wounds I still carry – Italy has hit its lowest point’ | OneFootball

Giorgio Chiellini has delivered a candid assessment of Italian football’s crisis following a third consecutive World Cup absence, insisting the country has hit its lowest point while expressing cautious optimism about the talent emerging at youth level.

Speaking at the Festival della Serie A in Parma, with quotes via Sportal, the former Italy captain and current Juventus Director of Football Strategy did not shy away from the scale of the problem.

“We cannot pretend nothing has happened, staying out of three consecutive World Cups is something very difficult to accept,” Chiellini said.

“The first two exclusions I experienced personally and they are wounds I still carry inside. A profound reflection is needed to recover an identity that has been lost over time, even if not everything is to be considered negative.”

BOLOGNA, ITALY – DECEMBER 14: Former Juventus player Giorgio Chiellini looks on prior to the Serie A match between Bologna FC 1909 and Juventus FC at Renato Dall’Ara Stadium on December 14, 2025 in Bologna, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)

Chiellini calls for united response as Italy urged to invest in youth development

On the path forward, Chiellini was clear, recovery must run through the young players and a shared vision at federation level. He pointed to the Under-17 side reaching the European final as a source of genuine encouragement.

“It is proof that the talent exists,” he said. “The players are there, but they need to be accompanied and developed better. Something is still missing, but the base to work from is present.”

The retired defender was equally direct in his diagnosis of the broader structural problem. “We have touched the lowest point and we hope not to have to go any lower,” he said.

“Now a common project is needed, built together by all components of the movement. It is up to us, as well as to the governance of Italian football, to begin a serious and concrete path to reverse course, without looking for excuses or hiding the problems.”