Italy's squad value is 8.5 billion euros, surpassing Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, and Norway. Why have they missed the World Cup three consecutive times? The reasons are as follows.

The four-time World Cup champion Italy has missed three consecutive World Cups, which baffles fans, especially older supporters from the 70s and 80s generation. In their eyes, Italy was a top-tier World Cup powerhouse, yet now they have been blocked bySweden, North Macedonia, and Bosniathree times from reaching the World Cup. Did you know?The total value of Italy's national team is as high as 8.545 billion euros, exceeding Germany's 7.74 billion euros, Netherlands' 7.66 billion euros, Belgium's 5.24 billion euros, and even suffering a defeat in the group stage by Norway, valued at 5.04 billion euros, with a three-goal margin in both home and away matches.So the question arises: why has Italy, with a squad value exceeding 8.5 billion euros, missed the World Cup three consecutive times? There are two main reasons.

First:Serie A is somewhat artificial, focused only on internal competition.! Italian players mostly play in Serie A; very few Italian players secure starting positions in the other top five leagues outside Serie A. Currently, only Donnarumma at Manchester City and Tonali at Newcastle are exceptions, and their abilities clearly stand out significantly compared to their Italian teammates. Serie A is synonymous with a slow pace, often attracting aging veterans and players who struggle in the Premier League, seeking a career revival in Italy. Serie A is somewhat "artificial"; referees enforce the game according to their own rhythm, even resorting to tricks, which causes Italian national team players accustomed to Serie A's officiating standards to repeatedly face setbacks and frustrations in Champions League and World Cup qualifying matches. This resembles the situation of China's national team: the pace and officiating in the Chinese Super League lead Chinese male football players to frequently suffer disadvantages in international matches. Even more absurd is that Italy's main striker Retegui plays in Asia and is a naturalized player, indicating that Italian football, despite its high apparent value, actually faces a shortage of emerging talent.

Second:When the upper structure is flawed, the lower follows; it's difficult to find a wise savior.! Italy is now dubbed "Europe's China national team" by fans, and this isn't baseless exaggeration. From the Italian Football Federation to the national team, the parallels with China's male football team and its federation are striking. Italy has already missed the World Cup three consecutive times, yet the Italian Football Federation remains unchanged. Under such circumstances, Gattuso showed courage, but the midfield enforcer even lacks clarity in coaching Serie B, so how could he steer the Italian national team? Italy has renowned coaches like Ancelotti, Inzaghi, and Conte, but within the flawed Italian football environment where the upper structure is flawed and the lower follows, no wise figure dares to step in to rescue the situation; nobody wants to end up covered in dust.

Where is the path forward for Italian football? Firstly, Serie A must align with international standards, especially in officiating. They could recruit referees from the Premier League or Champions League to officiate matches, using specific points to drive broader improvement. Secondly, Italian players need to bravely venture abroad, for example, by playing more in the Premier League. Tonali, who plays in the Premier League, clearly exhibits a stronger match rhythm compared to other Italian players. After reflecting on the pain, we must prevent Italian football from suffering the tragedy of missing four consecutive World Cups. Strengthening Italian football requires thorough change, starting with replacing the president of the Italian Football Federation!