Zaccagni ‘certain’ that Italy will qualify for 2026 World Cup | OneFootball

Lazio star Mattia Zaccagni is ‘certain’ that Italy will qualify for the World Cup: ‘We are a great group.’

Italy winger Zaccagni is confident that the Azzurri will get their World Cup Tickets in March 2026, when the qualifying play-off will take place.

Italy will face Northern Ireland in the semis on March 26, 2026, while the potential opponents in the final are Wales and Bosnia and Herzegovina. If Italy progress to the Final, they’ll play away, while the semifinal against Northern Ireland will be played in Bergamo.

‘Italy will qualify for the World Cup’

ROME, ITALY – JANUARY 23: Mattia Zaccagni of Lazio celebrates scoring his team’s second goal during the UEFA Europa League 2024/25 League Phase MD7 match between S.S. Lazio and Real Sociedad de Futbol at Stadio Olimpico on January 23, 2025 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)

“We’ll go to the World Cup because we deserve it. We are a great group. Unfortunately, we couldn’t qualify directly, but I’m sure that the two play-off games will go well,” Zaccagni told Sky Sport (via TMW).

Zaccagni, 30, is the Lazio captain and has scored four goals in 15 appearances with the Biancocelesti this season.

The former Hellas Verona star has made three appearances under Gennaro Gattuso, two as a starter.

“Gattuso has proved that he’s a friend before than a coach, and this has been crucial for the group,” Zaccagni argued.

“He works a lot on the pitch, he’s strong, and it’s one reason why I’m certain we’ll go to the World Cup.”

Zaccagni is on very good terms also with Maurizio Sarri, the Lazio tactician, who returned to the Stadio Olimpico last summer.

Zaccagni on Sarri and Lazio’s season

MILAN, ITALY – NOVEMBER 09: Mattia Zaccagni of Lazio battles for possession with Manuel Akanji of Internazionale during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and SS Lazio at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on November 09, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

“The coach is a motivator, and he pushes you to give your all,” said the Lazio captain.

“When you do what he wants, he’s very happy, and we enjoy seeing him this way. We try to give our best and bring on the pitch what we try during the week.

“I’d like to give as many joys as possible to Lazio fans in the new year,” Zaccagni continued.

“We deserve it because we are becoming something good after a tough start. Reaching targets with this atmosphere is rewarding.

“It’s been a strange season, we started with more than one difficulty, but we remained united, also thanks to the coach, and now we are reaping the rewards from a work that has been ongoing for months. It’s not easy to find the chemistry to face tough moments as it happened in Parma, where we were reduced to nine men.”

Lazio could not make any new signings last summer as they were imposed a transfer embargo due to financial irregularities.

It is still unclear whether the Biancocelesti will be allowed to sign new players during the January transfer window.

Zaccagni joined Lazio from Verona in 2022, and his contract runs out in 2029.