date of publication:
March 26, 2022 8:09 GMT
Update date: March 26, 2022 8:25 GMT
Gabriele Gravina, president of the Italian Football Association, supports coach Roberto Mancini’s continuation of the coaching staff of the country’s first team, despite the team’s failure to qualify for the 2022 World Cup, which will be held in Qatar.
After failing to qualify for the last World Cup, 2018, in Russia, Italy failed to qualify for the finals again when it lost at home to North Macedonia 1/0 in the semi-finals of the European qualifiers, last Thursday.
“To Hell” .. Shock in the newspapers after the failure of the Italian national team to qualify for the 2022 World Cup https://t.co/ei6hz3jWOv pic.twitter.com/hf7kKzIKF9
— Erem Sport – Erem Sport (@EremSports) March 25, 2022
Since winning the World Cup for the fourth time, in 2006, Italy have not appeared in the knockout stages of the World Cup.
“I hope Mancini will continue with us,” Gravina said.
He added: “He is committed with us on this project, and I hope that he will overcome the effects of exit (from the qualifiers) like all Italians, and continue in the mission so that we can continue to work together.”
“Just as we accepted the praise, last summer, (after winning the European Championship), we have to accept the criticism this time, but I have to try to protect the national team,” Gravina added.
Giorgio Chiellini, captain of the Italian national team, after the farewell to the World Cup qualifiers: frustrated and devastated https://t.co/2SUPSDOhBi pic.twitter.com/pMRKLvIXf1
— Erem Sport – Erem Sport (@EremSports) March 24, 2022
He continued, “We are moving forward with our heads held high, and we must not lose the enthusiasm we felt last summer. There is nothing wrong with criticism, but we do not want to risk causing more losses.”
Italy’s failure to qualify for the World Cup came despite the Azzurri winning the European Championship last summer, by winning a penalty shootout at the expense of England.
Mancini, 57, took over the Italian national team in May 2018, and according to the “transfermarkt” website, he led his country in 47 matches, winning 32 times, drawing 11 times and losing only 4 times.
The Italian national team, the European champion, is scheduled to play with Argentina, the Copa America champion, next June, in the European Cup South America Finalissima, which is being held for the first time.
Italy won the 2006 World Cup by winning on penalties against France, but it was eliminated from the 2010 World Cup in South Africa from the first round, as well as in the World Cup in Brazil, in 2014.
Italy will miss the World Cup for the second time in a row, after failing to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
It is noteworthy that Italy is the second team to win the World Cup with 4 titles with Germany, one title behind Brazil.