Italy one step away from the World Cup: Ireland defeated, now final with Bosnia

Italy has taken the first step toward qualifying for the 2026 World Cup by defeating Northern Ireland 2-0 in a match played in Bergamo. After a difficult first half, the breakthrough came in the second half with Sandro Tonali, who scored a goal and provided an assist. The victory allows the Azzurri to avoid the playoffs that characterized the last two qualifying campaigns.

The team of Gennaro Gattuso, nicknamed "Ringhio," will now face Bosnia in a decisive final next Tuesday. The Bosnians qualified by beating Wales on penalties. Some Italian players, caught by Rai cameras after the match, expressed satisfaction at avoiding Wales, considered a more formidable opponent, but Gattuso warned: "It will be another extremely difficult match."

Qualifying for the World Cup is a crucial challenge for Italy after the disappointments of recent cycles. The Italian national team, reigning European champions until 2024, had missed qualification for the 2022 and 2026 World Cups, each time having to go through the playoffs, a path that created anxiety among fans and professionals. This failure led to a change in coach, with Gennaro Gattuso replacing Roberto Mancini.

The path to the 2026 World Cup involves a group stage followed by playoffs among the best teams not directly qualified. Italy, after advancing from the group stage, now finds itself in the decisive knockout phase. The victory against Northern Ireland is only the first step: on Tuesday against Bosnia, the last available ticket will be contested. Bosnia, led by the experienced striker Edin Džeko, eliminated Wales on penalties, proving to be a formidable opponent despite appearances.