Italy's captain Gianluigi Donnarumma admitted to crying after his team's penalty shootout loss to Bosnia-Herzegovina, ending their hopes of reaching the 2026 World Cup. The match ended 1-1 before Bosnia won 4-1 on penalties. This marks Italy's third straight absence from the tournament.
Italy's World Cup dreams shattered in a play-off against Bosnia-Herzegovina, with a 1-1 draw leading to a 4-1 penalty defeat. Donnarumma made several saves during the game but could not stop any of Bosnia's spot-kicks. Teammates Pio Esposito and Bryan Cristante missed crucial penalties for Italy, sealing their fate as four-time champions face another tournament without the Azzurri. At full-time, the 27-year-old goalkeeper appeared emotional and had to be restrained after attempting to confront opposition players. Reflecting on the loss, Donnarumma shared his raw feelings in a statement: “Last night, after the match, I cried. I cried because of the disappointment of not being able to lead Italy where it deserves to be. I cried because of the enormous sadness I’m feeling, along with the entire Azzurri team, of which I’m proud to be captain, and I know you, fans of our national team, are feeling it too.” Despite never having played at a World Cup since his debut at age 17, Donnarumma urged unity ahead. “It would take a lot of strength, passion, and conviction” to bring Italy back to its deserved place, he said. “Always believe; this is the driving force behind moving forward... And this is where we must start again. Together. Once again.”
