Calafiori: Tactics Not to Blame for Italy's World Cup Qualification Failure

Riccardo Calafiori has openly shared his preference for playing in a back-four defense, yet he firmly believes that neither his personal tactical inclination nor Gennaro Gattuso's formation choices were the underlying reason for Italy's failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.

Calafiori on Italy’s Disappointment and Arsenal Goals

Calafiori, who featured alongside Gianluca Mancini and Alessandro Bastoni in a three-man defense during Italy’s decisive World Cup play-off final defeat against Bosnia and Herzegovina last Tuesday, addressed the national team's performance in a recent interview. The discussion occurred with Sky Sport Italia following Arsenal’s recent Champions League victory over Sporting CP.

The former Roma and Bologna defender admitted that the profound "disappointment" of Italy missing out on a third consecutive World Cup will persist "for quite a while." Despite this setback, he emphasized the critical need to refocus his energy on his club duties with Arsenal, who are actively competing for both the Premier League and Champions League titles.

“I think the disappointment will remain for quite a while, but that’s how it is in football. I prefer to play as a starter because there’s nothing else to think about when you’re on the pitch. You try to give your best, there are big goals to play for,” Calafiori told Sky. He added, “I think the disappointment remains inside, but I hope to achieve something big with Arsenal at the end of the season.”

During the Sky studios discussion, pundit Alessandro Costacurta observed that all teams competing in the Champions League quarter-finals currently employ a back-four system, in contrast to Italy where a back three remains a frequently used formation, including within the national team.

Calafiori confirmed to Costacurta his personal preference for playing in a back four, but he strongly maintained that this tactical setup was not the decisive factor behind Italy’s World Cup play-off final defeat. “I’ve never thought about it, I don’t know what to say about it,” Calafiori responded. “I feel better in a four-man defence, both as a central defender and as a full-back. But if you think that’s the reason why the game (against Bosnia) went badly, I don’t think that’s the case.” Costacurta then clarified that his initial question was a general observation about tactical trends, not a specific criticism of Italy’s performance.