Italy faces immense pressure as a generation has grown up with no recollection of the Azzurri last competing in the World Cup, with their last appearance resulting in an elimination by Uruguay in 2014 in Brazil, which is mainly remembered for Luis Suárez‘s infamous bite on Giorgio Chiellini.
Italy will take on Bosnia and Herzegovina away at Bilino Polje Stadium in Zenica on Tuesday, following their victory over Northern Ireland in the World Cup playoff semifinals. The winner will secure a place in Group B for this summer’s tournament in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, marking a chance for Italy to qualify for the World Cup after missing the previous two tournaments.
Winger Matteo Politano, a two-time Serie A champion with Napoli, acknowledges that at age 32, this may be his final opportunity to compete at the World Cup level, as he and other veteran players chase their dreams.
“We all know the stakes,” Politano remarked. “For me, and some of the older players, this might be our last shot.”
On their quest to qualify for their first World Cup in 12 years, the Azzurri defenders must effectively neutralize a well-known threat: Bosnia and Herzegovina’s experienced striker Edin Dzeko, 40, who has played alongside Italy’s three starting defenders at different clubs over the years. Dzeko was a teammate of Gianluca Mancini and Riccardo Calafiori during his time at AS Roma from 2015 to 2021, and later partnered with Alessandro Bastoni at Inter Milan, where he reached the 2023 Champions League final.
Following Bosnia’s penalty shootout victory over Wales last week, Italy’s Federico Dimarco reached out to Dzeko to congratulate him, signaling the friendship amid competition. Dzeko’s equalizing goal in the second half against Wales marked his 73rd international goal, and at 6-foot-4, he poses a formidable aerial threat that Italy’s defenders often struggle to match.
“Edin is an amazing player and a remarkable person,” Dimarco stated. “I saw him during the summer getaway, and we’ve kept a good rapport.”
However, Dimarco will need to put personal connections aside as Italy strives to avoid missing a third consecutive World Cup.
Italy was ousted in the playoff rounds for the last two World Cups by Sweden and North Macedonia, respectively.
Other playoff finals on Tuesday include Sweden vs. Poland, Turkey vs. Kosovo, and Denmark vs. the Czech Republic, all vying for the remaining three UEFA spots in the World Cup.
Bosnia has opted to host the playoff match at the Bilino Polje Stadium, with a capacity of 14,000, flanked by residential buildings overlooking the pitch. However, the stadium’s capacity will be reduced by 20% due to sanctions from FIFA following discriminatory and racist remarks from fans during a match against Romania in November.
Italy has voiced concerns about the pitch conditions after recent snowfall in Bosnia.
“We anticipate a challenging environment,” Dimarco noted. “But if we can maintain our focus for the full 95 minutes, I believe we can achieve a positive result.”
Reacting to Bosnia’s victory over Wales, video footage emerged of Italy’s players celebrating, leading to speculation that they viewed Bosnia as a less formidable opponent than Wales.
“It was a spontaneous reaction,” Dimarco clarified. “My intentions were never to offend Bosnia or its people.”
The referee for the upcoming match will be Clement Turpin from France, who also officiated Italy’s 1-0 home loss to North Macedonia in the playoff semifinals four years ago.
Dimarco has been a key player for Serie A leaders Inter this season, contributing six goals and 15 assists. His only World Cup experience came during the Under-20 tournament in 2017, when Italy secured third place, with Dimarco scoring in the quarterfinals.
“I have always said that personal stats don’t matter to me unless they help the team achieve success,” Dimarco shared.
Italy’s offensive momentum surged in the second half against Northern Ireland following the introduction of Pio Esposito, who replaced Mateo Retegui. The 20-year-old Esposito may start alongside Moise Kean in the Bosnia match.
Dimarco also plays alongside Esposito at Inter, noting, “He’s a remarkable young talent. He displays maturity beyond his years and gives 100% on the field and in practice. … We need to ensure he is not overwhelmed with expectations.”
Information from The Associated Press was utilized in this report.