"We have hit rock bottom." That's Fabio Capello, not some tabloid columnist. When one of Italy's most decorated managers says it's practically impossible to get worse, you take him at his word.
Italy have failed to qualify for the World Cup for the third consecutive time. Bologna and Fiorentina both exited European competition on Thursday — Europa League and Conference League respectively — meaning no Italian club will feature in a European semi-final this season. The last time that happened was 1986-87, when there were only two major continental competitions, not three.
Atalanta had already gone out in the Champions League round of 16. The clean sweep of failure is complete.
The rot goes deeper than results
FIGC President Gabriele Gravina has resigned. Italy still don't have a national team coach after Gattuso's exit. Elections to replace Gravina aren't scheduled until June 22, which means the entire administrative structure is frozen mid-crisis. Antonio Conte and Max Allegri are reportedly the frontrunners for the coaching job, but nothing happens until the federation gets its own house in order first.
Carlo Ancelotti, now managing Brazil, cut to the heart of it on Friday. "The great foreign players no longer come to Italy," he said, pointing to the financial gulf between Serie A and its competitors. TV rights money and powerful investor groups abroad have made other leagues far more attractive. Meanwhile, Italy's tactical obsession has, in his words, "distorted our characteristics."
The consequence shows up in the market. Serie A's decline isn't just a football problem — it's a commercial one. Any club-level odds involving Italian teams in European competition next season should reflect a league that's been comprehensively outgrown by its rivals.
The 2032 Euros problem nobody wants to say out loud
Italy is co-hosting the 2032 European Championship alongside Turkey. Stadium construction hasn't begun on several key venues. UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin was blunt about it earlier this month: "I hope the infrastructure will be ready. Otherwise, the tournament will not be played in Italy."
That's not a veiled warning. That's a sitting UEFA president publicly leaving the door open to stripping Italy of hosting rights.
Gravina summed it up before he walked: "The crisis is deep. Italian football needs to be redesigned." Right now, the country doesn't even have the people in place to start drawing up the plans.
