Italy’s national football team faces another four-year wait for a World Cup opportunity, following their recent penalty shootout defeat against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the play-off final. This marks the third consecutive time the Azzurri will miss the final tournament, a reality that signals the end of World Cup dreams for many current squad members.
The decisive match in Zenica saw Italy’s 2026 World Cup hopes extinguished. Moise Kean scored after 15 minutes, but Alessandro Bastoni’s red card just before halftime made an already challenging situation considerably tougher for Gennaro Gattuso’s side. Haris Tabakovic leveled the score for the hosts in the 79th minute, pushing the game into extra time and then to a penalty shootout. Misses from Pio Esposito and Bryan Cristante early in the shootout, coupled with Bosnia scoring all four of their initial attempts, sealed Italy’s fate for another four years.
How Old Will the Current Italy Squad Be in 2030?
Looking ahead to the 2030 World Cup, age will be a significant factor for the current Italian squad. Of the 28 players Gattuso called up for the recent play-off campaign, only eight will still be in their twenties when the tournament is expected to begin. These younger prospects include goalkeepers Marco Carnesecchi and Elia Caprile; defenders Marco Palestra, Riccardo Calafiori, Giorgio Scalvini, and Diego Coppola; midfielder Niccolo Pisilli; and forwards Pio Esposito and Niccolo Cambiaghi.
For several experienced players, the likelihood of featuring in the 2030 World Cup is significantly diminished. Leonardo Spinazzola would be 37 by the summer of 2030, Matteo Politano 36, and Bryan Cristante 35, making their inclusion highly improbable. Questions also arise for key figures like Nicolo Barella, who would be 33, and Federico Dimarco or Manuel Locatelli, both of whom would be 32, as their roles would be uncertain.
Goalkeepers
- Gianluigi Donnarumma – 31 in 2030
- Marco Carnesecchi – 29 in 2030
- Alex Meret – 33 in 2030
- Elia Caprile – 28 in 2030
Defenders
- Marco Palestra – 25 in 2030
- Federico Dimarco – 32 in 2030
- Leonardo Spinazzola – 37 in 2030
- Alessandro Buongiorno – 31 in 2030
- Riccardo Calafiori – 28 in 2030
- Federico Gatti – 31 in 2030
- Andrea Cambiaso – 30 in 2030
- Gianluca Mancini – 33 in 2030
- Giorgio Scalvini – 26 in 2030
- Diego Coppola – 26 in 2030
Midfielders
- Manuel Locatelli – 32 in 2030
- Sandro Tonali – 30 in 2030
- Niccolo Pisilli – 25 in 2030
- Bryan Cristante – 35 in 2030
- Davide Frattesi – 30 in 2030
- Nicolo Barella – 33 in 2030
Forwards
- Matteo Politano – 36 in 2030
- Mateo Retegui – 31 in 2030
- Giacomo Raspadori – 30 in 2030
- Moise Kean – 30 in 2030
- Pio Esposito – 24 in 2030
- Gianluca Scamacca – 31 in 2030
- Nicolo Cambiaghi – 29 in 2030
* Ages are calculated for the anticipated start of the 2030 World Cup, generally early to mid-June.