Gianluigi Donnarumma urged Italy supporters to come together once more after the Azzurri failed to qualify for their third consecutive World Cup on Tuesday.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After beating Northern Ireland 2-0 in the play-off semi-final, Italy travelled to\u00a0Stadion Bilino Polje to face\u00a0Bosnia-Herzegovina, who had edged past Wales in a penalty shoot-out.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Moise Kean had given Gennaro Gattuso’s side a 15th-minute lead, only for\u00a0Alessandro Bastoni’s straight red card just before the break to turn the contest on its head.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Italy withstood Bosnia’s pressure until the 79th minute when\u00a0Haris Tabakovic scored the equaliser, with\u00a0Francesco Pio Esposito and Bryan Cristante missing the spot-kicks in the shoot-out, which sealed a 4-1 win for\u00a0Sergej Barbarez’s side on penalties.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Azzurri will miss the World Cup for the third consecutive edition. Previously, in the competition’s history, it had happened only twice, in 1930 when they did not participate, and 1958 when they failed to qualify.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Donnarumma has played for Italy since he was 17-years-old, and with his nation’s latest setback, may not play at his first World Cup until he is 31.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“Last night, after the match, I cried,”\u00a0Donnarumma said. “I cried with disappointment at not being able to take Italy to where it deserves to be.<\/p>\n
“I cried because of the immense sadness I’m feeling together with the entire Azzurri squad, of which I am proud to be captain, and which, I know, at this moment, you, too, are feeling, supporters of our national team.<\/p>\n
“Now words don’t mean much, it’s true. But there’s one thing I feel strongly inside and want to share with you.<\/p>\n
“After such a great disappointment, we must find the courage to turn the page once again. And to do that, we need a lot of strength, passion and belief. Always believing.<\/p>\n
“That’s the engine that drives us forward, because life knows how to reward those who give\u00a0everything, holding nothing back.<\/p>\n
“And this is where we must start again. Together. Once more. To bring Italy back to where it deserves to be.”<\/p>\n
Gattuso said after the defeat that he would not discuss his future as Italy’s head coach, though that may come to an end shortly after the events that occurred on Tuesday.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
The headquarters of the Italian Football Federation in Rome was vandalised with eggs following the defeat to Bosnia.\u00a0<\/p>\n
FIGC President Gabriele Gravina returned to the headquarters on Wednesday, and upon his arrival, a fan held a banner urging him to resign.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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