The real horror show is the final, a single match against another playoff winner—likely Portugal, Ukraine, or Sweden. Imagine facing Cristiano Ronaldo for the right to go to the World Cup. That’s not a football match; that’s a psychological warfare session.
If they face Portugal, watch out. Italy hasn’t beaten them in a knockout since 2006. That’s 19 years of bad blood. But here’s the twist: Italy’s defense is still annoyingly good. Gianluigi Donnarumma in goal is basically a human octopus with a grudge.
The Secret Weapon: Pure Desperation
Italy plays best when everyone has written them off. In 2026, they won the Euro after looking dead in the water. The formula is simple: suffer, survive, and then win on penalties. They’re the only team that can make penalty shootouts look like a boring Tuesday.
Here’s a wild stat: Italy has a 100% record in World Cup qualifying playoffs in their history. It’s a tiny sample size, but it’s a magic charm. The ghost of Roberto Baggio is probably knitting a good luck scarf for them right now.
