Italy have ´so many things to fix´, concedes Azzurri legend Baggio after World Cup failure

Roberto Baggio believes Italy must “have the courage to trust” younger players, but the Azzurri legend concedes “there are so many things to fix” following their failure to qualify for this year’s World Cup.

The four-time World Cup winners will be absent from the 2026 finals in North America, following their play-off defeat by Bosnia-Herzegovina on penalties in March.

Italy, who last appeared at the tournament in 2014, subsequently became the first former champions to fail to qualify for three consecutive editions.

The Azzurri are now seeking a new manager, following Gennaro Gattuso’s resignation in the wake of that loss in Zenica, where every player in their starting 11 was aged 26 or older.

Baggio played for Italy in three World Cups, helping them reach the 1994 final, in which he missed the decisive penalty as they narrowly lost out to Brazil.

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The former playmaker believes the lack of young talent is one of the issues holding back the current side.

“There are so many things to fix,” he told Corriere della Sera.

“Kids aren’t playing in the street any more. And in Serie A, there are not many Italians. If you have to go and get a player from somewhere else and naturalise them, it means that you haven’t been able to find an Italian ready at the same level.

“We need to create a formula that really encourages the use of Italian youngsters.

“The talent is still there, but we have to seek it, protect it and recognise the value. And you need to have the courage to trust them.”