Idman.biz
Italy's failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup after losing to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the play-off stage (1:4 in the penalty shootout) for the third consecutive time has caused a major scandal. Former Inter star Jurgen Klinsmann has voiced harsh opinions about the dire state of Italian football.
Idman.Biz reports, citing Sport, that the 61-year-old expert stated that the current system in Italy creates conditions for the destruction of young talents. He criticized the system by citing current world stars as examples.
"Italy is paying the price for the lack of leaders, the lack of technically skilled players, and the lack of trust in youth. If Lamine Yamal and Musiala were Italian, they would probably still be playing in "Serie B" to gain experience. Such an approach is unacceptable," said Klinsmann.
Klinsmann pointed to the coaches' defense-oriented tactical philosophy as one of the main reasons for the failure:
"Tactical culture is an obstacle to development. Many coaches still play not to win, but to avoid losing. The result is obvious."
It should be noted that mass resignations occurred in Italian football after this failure. Head coach Gennaro Gattuso, Italian Football Federation (FIGC) President Gabriele Gravina, and delegation leader Gianluigi Buffon have resigned from their posts.
