🗣️ ”They don’t want him to resign, the president asked him [head coach, Gennaro Gattuso] to stay”

Reaction after Italy lost to Bosnia and Herzegovina, failing to qualify for a World Cup for the third time in a row. pic.twitter.com/BWXT6o7wwK

— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) April 1, 2026

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“Our youngsters aren’t getting the opportunities to play at the top level”

“Our youngsters aren’t getting the opportunities to play at the top level”@Bonetti discusses the problems in Italian football and the impact of missing the 2026 World Cup ❌ pic.twitter.com/EIBp8xsQnO

— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) April 1, 2026

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Bosnia and Herzegovina – Italy Official Lineups, Tuesday 31 March 2026, FIFA World Cup 2026 European play-off final

   Bosnia and Herzegovina – Italy  

Here are Bosnia and Herzegovina and Italy official starting lineups for Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at 20:45, taking place at the Bilino Polje Stadium in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

🇧🇦    Lineup Bosnia and Herzegovina 4-4-2: Vasilj; Dedic, Katic, Muharemovic, Kolasinac; Bajraktarevic, Sunjic, Basic, Memic; Demirovic, Dzeko.

Subs: Hadzikic, Ziomislic – Radeljic, Celik, Mujakic – Gigovic, Burnic, Tahirovic, Hadziahmetovic, Alajbegovic – Bazdar, Tabakovic.

Head Coach: Sergej Barbarez.

🇮🇹 Lineup ITALY 3-5-2: G.Donnarumma; G.Mancini, Bastoni, Calafiori; Politano, Barella, Locatelli, Tonali, Dimarco; Moise Kean, Retegui.

Subs: Carnesecchi, Meret – Buongiorno, Gatti – Palestra, Spinazzola, Pisilli, Cristante, Frattesi, Cambiaso – Raspadori, Pio Esposito.

Head Coach: Gennaro Gattuso

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Ticket option for Italy National team games

🇮🇹 Italy tickets

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Statistics BEFORE the game Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Italy

Italy has gone unbeaten in five of their last six encounters with Bosnia and Herzegovina (4 wins, 1 draw). Their sole defeat against this opponent occurred on November 6, 1996, during a friendly match (2-1)—marking the very first clash between the two teams.

After suffering a loss in their inaugural match on Bosnian soil (2-1 in a friendly), Italy has triumphed in their next two away games against Bosnia, one of which was held in Zenica (a 3-0 victory on November 15, 2019, with goals from Acerbi, Insigne, and Andrea Belotti).

Italy has secured victories in their last three away matches during World Cup qualifiers—following a stretch of three winless away games (2 draws, 1 loss). This marks the longest winning streak Italy has ever recorded on the road during this stage of the competition.

Italy has the opportunity to qualify for the World Cup through a playoff round for only the second time in its history, having previously done so against Russia (drawing 1-1 away and winning 1-0 at home between October and November 1997); in contrast, the Azzurri faced elimination in their two most recent playoff campaigns: against Sweden in November 2017 (0-1 in Stockholm, 0-0 in Milan) and against North Macedonia in March 2022 (0-1 in Palermo).

Bosnia and Herzegovina, which made its only World Cup appearance in the 2014 edition, has lost just one of its last 10 competitive matches (5 wins, 4 draws), a significant improvement compared to their previous run, where they suffered defeats in eight of their last nine fixtures (with 1 draw).

Bosnia and Herzegovina official starting lineup against Italy

Italy official starting lineup against Bosnia and Herzegovina

Credit via x.com/Azzurri

World Cup Playoffs Finals
🇧🇦  Bonia and Herzegovina vs Italy  🇮🇹
Tuesday 31 March 2026
Bilino Polje Stadium
Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina

20:45

Referee: Clément Turpin FRA
Assistant Referee 1: Nicolas Danos FRA
Assistant Referee 2: Benjamin Pagès FRA
Fourth Official: José María Sánchez Martínez ESP
Video Assistant Referee: Jérôme Brisard FRA
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Willy Delajod FRA
FIFA Referee Assessor: Martin Ingvarsson SWE
FIFA Match Commissioner: Jirí Novák CZE

Result Bosnia and Herzegovina 1 – 1 Italy, Tuesday 31 March 2026, FIFA World Cup 2026 European play-off final

65% Ball Possession BOSNIA and 35% Ball Possession ITALY
   Bosnia and Herzegovina 1 – 1 Italy  
80′ Haris Tabakovic                                                15′ Moise Kean 
.

A heartbreaking day for Italian football! Italy faced defeat against Bosnia and Herzegovina at the Bilino Polje Stadium in Zenica on Tuesday, March 31, 2026. This loss means Italy is eliminated from the World Cup for the third time in a row. Bosnia triumphed in the penalty shootout after crucial misses from Pio Esposito and Cristante. It was a grueling match, with Italy playing for half the game with only ten players due to Bastoni’s red card in the 41st minute. This is a nightmare for Italy; it will be another summer without the World Cup. It’s hard to accept, but that’s the harsh truth.

❌   2018 World Cup
❌   2022 World Cup
❌   2026 World Cup

👉🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina 0 – 1 Italy 🇮🇹

⚽️ Italy takes the lead in the 15th minute with a goal from Moise Kean for @Azzurri_En, who scored with a right-footed shot into the top right corner. The assist came from Nicolò Barella. This opportunity arose from a defensive mistake by Bosnia, where a backpass to the goalkeeper went directly to Barella, allowing him to set up Kean for the decisive shot.

👉🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina 0 – 1 Italy 🇮🇹

🟥 Red Card. Oh dear, this is unfortunate. The Azzurri are now down to 10 players after Alessandro Bastoni received a red card in the 41st minute.

👉🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1 – 1 Italy 🇮🇹

⚽️ Italy is in turmoil! In the 80th minute, Haris Tabakovic scores to equalize for Bosnia and Herzegovina with a close-range left-footed shot to the center. A wild scramble occurs in the Azzurri’s penalty area after Dedic’s cross; the ball sits right in front of the goal defended by Donnarumma, who somehow pulls off an incredible save against Dzeko’s header. However, Tabakovic is there to tap it in, bringing the match level. The Azzurri find themselves back at square one. The Italian players argue, suggesting a possible push, but the goal stands. Donnarumma receives a yellow card for dissent.

#ItalianSoccerSerieA #Azzurri #VivoAzzurro #BIHITA #WorldCup

🇧🇦    Bosnia and Herzegovina comes into this match following a stunning upset, having knocked out Wales in a thrilling penalty shootout.

🇮🇹   Italy made it to this point by beating Northern Ireland 2-0 in the last playoff round held in Bergamo. The Azzurri face significant pressure as they have missed the last two World Cups via this same playoff path.

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Ticket option for Italy National team games

🇮🇹 Italy tickets

==============================

Statistics BEFORE the game Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Italy

Italy has gone unbeaten in five of their last six encounters with Bosnia and Herzegovina (4 wins, 1 draw). Their sole defeat against this opponent occurred on November 6, 1996, during a friendly match (2-1)—marking the very first clash between the two teams.

Italy has achieved an impressive record of winning six out of the seven matches under Gennaro Gattuso’s management (with one loss). This is a remarkable feat, as no manager in the history of the National Team has secured more wins in their first eight matches with the team.

After suffering a loss in their inaugural match on Bosnian soil (2-1 in a friendly), Italy has triumphed in their next two away games against Bosnia, one of which was held in Zenica (a 3-0 victory on November 15, 2019, with goals from Acerbi, Insigne, and Andrea Belotti).

Italy has secured victories in their last three away matches during World Cup qualifiers—following a stretch of three winless away games (2 draws, 1 loss). This marks the longest winning streak Italy has ever recorded on the road during this stage of the competition.

Italy has the opportunity to qualify for the World Cup through a playoff round for only the second time in its history, having previously done so against Russia (drawing 1-1 away and winning 1-0 at home between October and November 1997); in contrast, the Azzurri faced elimination in their two most recent playoff campaigns: against Sweden in November 2017 (0-1 in Stockholm, 0-0 in Milan) and against North Macedonia in March 2022 (0-1 in Palermo).

Bosnia and Herzegovina, which made its only World Cup appearance in the 2014 edition, has lost just one of its last 10 competitive matches (5 wins, 4 draws), a significant improvement compared to their previous run, where they suffered defeats in eight of their last nine fixtures (with 1 draw).

Bosnia and Herzegovina official starting lineup against Italy

Italy official starting lineup against Bosnia and Herzegovina

 

Credit via x.com/Azzurri

World Cup Playoffs Finals
🇧🇦  Bonia and Herzegovina 1 – 1 Italy  🇮🇹
Tuesday 31 March 2026
Bilino Polje Stadium
Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina

20:45

Referee: Clément Turpin FRA
Assistant Referee 1: Nicolas Danos FRA
Assistant Referee 2: Benjamin Pagès FRA
Fourth Official: José María Sánchez Martínez ESP
Video Assistant Referee: Jérôme Brisard FRA
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Willy Delajod FRA
FIFA Referee Assessor: Martin Ingvarsson SWE
FIFA Match Commissioner: Jirí Novák CZE

⚽️ Goals:  15′ Moise Kean (I), 80′ Haris Tabakovic (B)

🇧🇦      ✅✅✅
🇮🇹     ❌✅❌

🟨 Yellow Cards:  54′ Benjamin Tahirovic (B), 81′ Gianluigi Donnarumma (I), 102′ Tarik Muharemovic (B), 121′ Davide Frattesi (I)

✅    Official lineups – Tabellino:

🇧🇦    Lineup Bosnia and Herzegovina 4-4-2: Vasilj; Dedic, Katic, Muharemovic, Kolasinac; Bajraktarevic, Sunjic, Basic, Memic; Demirovic, Dzeko.

Subs: Hadzikic, Ziomislic – Radeljic, Celik, Mujakic – Gigovic, Burnic, Tahirovic, Hadziahmetovic, Alajbegovic – Bazdar, Tabakovic.

Head Coach: Sergej Barbarez.

🇮🇹 Lineup ITALY 3-5-2: G.Donnarumma; G.Mancini, Bastoni, Calafiori; Politano, Barella, Locatelli, Tonali, Dimarco; Moise Kean, Retegui.

Subs: Carnesecchi, Meret – Buongiorno, Gatti – Palestra, Spinazzola, Pisilli, Cristante, Frattesi, Cambiaso – Raspadori, Pio Esposito.

Head Coach: Gennaro Gattuso

Click the video to watch Bosnia and Herzegovina – Italy highlights on Tuesday, 31 March 2026