Sore loser Gattuso: Azzurri boss blames Africa for Italy's World Cup Qualifiers' failures!?

Of all the reasons and excuses for Italy’s several dreadful World Cup Qualifiers’ campaigns, which saw them miss out on two tournaments in a row and still far away from qualifying for the 2026 FIFA WC, their current head coach, Gennaro Gattuso, found a bizarre one - Africa!?

Believe it or not, the former AC Milan midfielder - now in charge of the Gli Azzurri - accused African national sides and their WC slots of Italy’s shortcomings.

Gattuso called on FIFA to change the qualification process for the World Cup after his side was left needing a 9-0 victory against Norway on Sunday to avoid a place in the European playoffs for the third successive qualifying campaign.

The Azzurri sit behind Norway in Group I, whom they lost to 3-0. Italy, ninth in the FIFA World Rankings, missed out on the 2018 and 2022 World Cups after playoff defeats against Sweden and North Macedonia, respectively.

Europe is awarded 16 qualification places by FIFA for the 48-team World Cup, but with the playoffs looming once again, Gattuso said that changes are needed to ensure fairness in the process.

"In my day, the best [group] runners-up went straight to the World Cup, now the rules have changed," Gattuso said. "To change the rules, you need to tell those who organize these tournaments.

"Italy's record of six wins [in qualification]? You'd have to ask the people who make the groups and the rules.

"In 1990 and 1994, there were two African [three qualified in 1994!] teams, now there are nine. It's not a controversy, but there are difficulties, and we know it well.

"If we look at South America, where six out of 10 teams go directly to the World Cup and the seventh heads into a play-off with a team from Oceania, that does give you regrets and a certain sadness.

"That is the disappointment. The system needs to change in Europe."

Who's crybaby now: CR7 jeopardizes his WC swansong with bizarre red card

Gattuso, who replaced Luciano Spalletti as coach in June following the losing start to the campaign against Norway, even fired at the Gli Azzurri’s fans for their treatment of his players.

"This is not the time to tell the players to go get a job," he said. "Honestly, I don't accept the fans' jeering.

"Now we all need to stay united. Deep down, I even thought they could lose this match considering how much we've changed [due to injuries], but those who came on did well."

2026 FIFA WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS - EUROPE

Thursday

Armenia - Hungary 0-1 (0-1)

/Varga 33/

Azerbaijan - Iceland 0-2 (0-2)

/Gudmundsson A. 20, Ingason 39/

Norway - Estonia 4-1 (0-0)

/Sorloth 50, 52, Haaland 56, 62 - Saarma 65/

Andorra - Albania 0-1 (0-0)

/Asllani 67/

England - Serbia 2-0 (1-0)

/Saka 28, Eze 90/

France - Ukraine 4-0 (0-0)

/Mbappe 55 pen, 83, Olise 76, Ekitike 88/

Moldova - Italy 0-2 (0-0)

/Mancini 88, Esposito 90+3/

Republic of Ireland - Portugal 2-0 (2-0)

/Parrott 17, 45/

Friday

20.00: (1.33) Finland (5.40) Malta (11.0)

22.45: (1.12) Croatia (10.0) Faroe I. (25.0)

22.45: (15.0) Gibraltar (6.25) Montenegro (1.25)

22.45: (4.80) Poland (4.00) Netherlands (1.75)

22.45: (2.10) Slovakia (3.25) N.Ireland (4.10)

Saturday

17.00: (15.0) Kazakhstan (7.70) Belgium (1.20)

19.00: (11.0) Cyprus (6.00) Austria (1.30)

20.00: (13.5) Georgia (7.00) Spain (1.23)

20.00: (55.0) Liechtenstein (16.0) Wales (1.02)

20.00: (1.08) Turkey (11.0) Bulgaria (30.0)

22.45: (2.45) B&H (3.40) Romania (3.05)

22.45: (1.03) Denmark (15.0) Belarus (50.0)

22.45: (2.15) Greece (3.45) Scotland (3.70)

22.45: (2.05) Slovenia (3.25) Kosovo* (4.20)

22.45: (1.60) Switzerland (4.10) Sweden (5.50)

Sunday

17.00: (1.80) Hungary (3.50) R.Ireland (4.70)

17.00: (1.08) Portugal (13.0) Armenia (20.0)

20.00: (7.75) Albania (4.50) England (1.42)

20.00: (20.0) Azerbaijan (13.0) France (1.08)

20.00: (1.25) Serbia (6.50) Latvia (14.0)

20.00: (1.67) Ukraine (3.60) Iceland (5.70)

22.45: (1.43) Israel (4.50) Moldova (7.50)

22.45: (1.85) Italy (3.60) Norway (4.30)

***odds are subject to change***