Italy's football faces 12‑year World Cup drought as CONI chief blames missing vision

CONI president Luciano Buonfiglio said Italy has done "nothing" in the twelve years since the senior national team failed to qualify for the World Cup, blaming the absence of a shared vision and adequate planning. He noted that the broader state of Italian sport is healthy, citing successes in organizing major events and strong Olympic performances, but declined to comment on specific federation decisions.

An accompanying analysis of youth teams shows a stark contrast: the U17, U19 and U20 squads have reached multiple European finals and even won titles in recent years, while the U21 and senior teams have continued to struggle. The senior team's last World Cup appearance was in 2014, after which a series of coaching and presidential changes failed to restore success. The contrast between thriving youth programs and a faltering senior side underscores the criticism of systemic shortcomings in the senior team's development pathway.