Gianluigi Donnarumma: The pain of missing the World Cup is still immense

Italy national team goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma spoke about the deep depression following the team's failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup. According to Goal.com, missing the tournament was a painful blow for the four-time world champions, and the players still avoid discussing the topic among themselves. This is reported by Goal.com reporting .

Recall that the Azzurri were defeated in a penalty shootout during the play-off final against Bosnia and Herzegovina. Alessandro Bastoni receiving a red card early in the match, leaving the team shorthanded, further intensified the impact of this painful defeat. As a result, Italy missed the World Cup for the third consecutive time in its history.

Healing wounds and the return of Roberto Mancini

In an interview with Sky Sport Italia, Donnarumma admitted that there has been almost no discussion within the team about why this failure occurred. “The truth is that there was almost no discussion among us because the pain is still too great to reopen the wound,” said the goalkeeper.

Following the resignations of Luciano Spalletti and Gennaro Gattuso, Roberto Mancini has returned as head coach of the Italy national team. Under the experienced specialist, the team is now preparing for the Nations League matches. The Italians will compete in Group A1 against Belgium, France, and the Turkey national team led by Vincenzo Montella.

Looking to the future and young talents

Donnarumma expressed confidence that there will be positive changes in the team's playing style under the new coach. According to him, the players aim to demonstrate active, aggressive football and full control of the game on the pitch. Having learned lessons from Euro 2024, the team intends to regain the fans' trust.

To inject new blood into the team, which is going through a difficult period, young players are being called up. In particular, Cagliari midfielder Alessandro Romano has made a great impression on the goalkeeper. Donnarumma emphasized that experienced players will support the youth during difficult times and serve as the main foundation for building the future of the national team.