How old will the current Italy squad be at the start of the 2030 FIFA World Cup? | OneFootball

Italy will have to wait another four years for their next World Cup opportunity after losing on penalties away against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Tuesday night’s play-off final, but for some of the current Azzurri squad, the chances of ever featuring at the final tournament is practically over.

For the third time in a row, Italy will not feature at the World Cup finals after losing on penalties against Edin Dzeko and his Bosnia and Herzegovina teammates in Zenica on Tuesday evening. Moise Kean struck after 15 minutes, but an Alessandro Bastoni red card just before the interval made life considerably more difficult for Gennaro Gattuso’s side.

ZENICA, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA – MARCH 31: The referee Clèment Turpin shows the red card to Alessandro Bastoni 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)

Haris Tabakovic levelled for the hosts in the 79th minute, which was enough to send the game to extra-time and then a penalty shootout, where Pio Esposito and Bryan Cristante both missed within the first three attempts, and with Bosnia scoring all of their first four, that was that four another four years.

How old will the current Italy squad be in 2030?

Only eight of the 28-player squad that Gattuso called up for the World Cup play-off campaign will still be in their 20s by the time the 2030 World Cup rolls around: They are Goalkeepers Marco Carnesecchi and Elia Caprile, defenders Marco Palestra, Riccardo Calafiori, Giorgio Scalvini and Diego Coppola, Niccolo Pisilli in midfield and forwards Pio Esposito and Niccolo Cambiaghi.

ZENICA, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA – MARCH 31: Tarik Muharemovic of Bosnia & Herzegovina competes for the ball with Marco Palestra 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)

For the likes of Leonardo Spinazzola, who will be 37 in the summer of 2030, Matteo Politano, who will be 36 and Bryan Cristante, who will be 35, the chances of ever appearing at a World Cup finals is now looking highly unlikely.

There will be question marks over the likes of Nicolo Barella, who will be 33 by the start of the 2030 World Cup, or Federico Dimarco or Manuel Locatelli, both of whom will be 32.

Goalkeepers

ZENICA, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA – MARCH 31: Gianluigi Donnarumma of Italy reacts 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)

Gianluigi Donnarumma – 31 in 2030

Marco Carnesecchi – 29 in 2030

Alex Meret – 33 in 2030

Elia Caprile – 28 in 2030

Defenders

FLORENCE, ITALY – OCTOBER 08: Riccardo Calafiori of Italy in action during a Italy training session at Centro Tecnico Federale di Coverciano on October 08, 2024 in Florence, Italy. (Photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images)

Marco Palestra – 25 in 2030

Federico Dimarco – 32 in 2030

Leonardo Spinazzola – 37 in 2030

Alessandro Buongiorno 31 in 2030

Riccardo Calafiori – 28 in 2030

Federico Gatti – 31 in 2030

Andrea Cambiaso – 30 in 2030

Gianluca Mancini – 33 in 2030

Giorgio Scalvini – 26 in 2030

Diego Coppola – 26 in 2030

Midfielders

BERGAMO, ITALY – MARCH 26: Sandro Tonali of Italy scores his team’s first goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 European Qualifiers KO play-offs match between Italy and Northern Ireland at Stadio di Bergamo on March 26, 2026 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Manuel Locatelli – 32 in 2030

Sanro Tonali – 30 in 2030

Niccolo Pisilli – 25 in 2030

Bryan Cristante – 35 in 2030

Davide Frattesi – 30 in 2030

Nicolo Barella – 33 in 2030

Forwards

ZENICA, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA – MARCH 31: Francesco Pio Esposito shows his 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)

Matteo Politano – 36 in 2030

Mateo Retegui – 31 in 2030

Giacomo Raspadori – 30 in 2030

Moise Kean – 30 in 2030

Pio Esposito – 24 in 2030

Gianluca Scamacca – 31 in 2030

Nicolo Cambiaghi – 29 in 2030

* ages at the predicted start time of the 2030 World Cup, i.e. early to mid-June.