Gennaro Gattuso in the Shadow of Italy's Trauma

When Italy triumphed over France, which was filled with stars including Zinedine Zidane and Thierry Henry, in the final of the 2006 World Cup, a new era was supposed to begin. Through a penalty shootout in Berlin, Germany, Italy became the second country to win the World Cup for the fourth time.

However, nearly two decades later, that victory stands in stark contrast to Italy's current fate. After failing to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia and the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Italy is on the verge of becoming a former champion that has failed to qualify for three consecutive editions of the tournament.

Italy did beat England to win Euro 2020 amidst this. However, that success seemed like an exception.

To qualify for the 2026 World Cup, Italy must win two playoff matches. Their campaign begins with a home semifinal against Northern Ireland on Friday, March 27, 2026, before facing the winner of the Wales-Bosnia-Herzegovina match.

"Italy has not participated in the last two World Cups, but there is no need to suffocate the players. These are players who have won the Euro and played in the Champions League final. They are accustomed to these matches," said Italy's Coach, Gennaro Gattuso.

Gattuso was appointed as the coach of Italy in June 2025 to replace Luciano Spalletti, who was dismissed. The dismissal occurred after Italy lost 0-3 to Norway in the Group I match of the European World Cup qualifiers.

Although Spalletti remains responsible for the next three days following the victory over Moldova, his departure is an early indicator of the challenges that Italy will face. Gattuso, who has coached 10 clubs in 12 years, must manage an Italy haunted by past traumas.

Gattuso is aware that his players will face mental pressure due to past failures. Therefore, instead of increasing the pressure on his protégés, Gattuso chooses to ease their path.

"We have to be able to make the players feel lighter," said Gattuso.

"However, we must have the right mentality and composure. We respect our opponents, but we must think clearly and be aware of the dangers," he added.

Efforts to at least alleviate that pressure are evident from Gattuso's consideration in choosing the stadium for the home match against Northern Ireland. Gattuso is reluctant to play at the San Siro Stadium in Milan, which is an iconic area, citing the players' mental state as the reason.

According to Gattuso, the stadium, nicknamed the Cattedrale del Calcio, or Italian football cathedral, is prone to creating a "heated" atmosphere. Its large size, with a seating capacity of over 70,000, can create such an atmosphere in the stands when his team struggles early in the match.

When Italy lost to Norway at San Siro, Gattuso noticed that fans of AC Milan and Inter Milan would jeer at players from the opposing club. "They might start to boo after a few misplaced passes. I want to create an atmosphere that is truly like a cauldron," said Gattuso.

As a result, Gattuso chose to play at the Bergamo Stadium, which has a capacity of 23,500 seats. According to Gattuso, this choice was made to create a more positive atmosphere.

However, Gattuso will not only face the problem of trauma. He will also be battling with a team that is "just adequate." Aside from goalkeeper and captain Gianluigi Donnarumma, the other 27 players can be considered not at the world-class level.

When Italy faced France in the final 20 years ago, the situation was different. From Gianluigi Buffon, Fabio Cannavaro, and Gennaro Gattuso in the defense to Alessandro del Piero and Francesco Totti in the attack, Italy had one of the greatest teams in history.

The team is not the result of instant success, but rather a development model that is no longer present in Italian football. Since the regulations on foreign player quotas have become more relaxed, local Italian talents have increasingly found it difficult to secure a place in Serie A. Clubs have come to rely on foreign players.

“This is the result of what has happened in Italy in recent years,” said Del Piero.

The mental pressure on Italy has become an advantage for Northern Ireland. Coach Michael O’Neill stated that there are high expectations placed on Italy, while his team can play more freely without worrying too much about what is at stake.

“We have everything to play for in this game, no doubt about that,” said O’Neill.

"There are high expectations for Italy, as a great footballing nation, and we must not be intimidated by that. We have many young players, and this will be part of the growth process," he said again. (AP/REUTERS)