The historic Italian coach Fabio Capello has raised his voice from Spain in statements to MARCA, after it was confirmed that Italy will not be present at the next World Cup, which means their third consecutive absence from the international event.
Visibly affected, Capello did not hide his indignation at a situation he described as “unacceptable” for a team with the history and prestige of Italy. “I haven’t been able to sleep all night, I still can’t believe what has happened,” confessed the former coach, reflecting the deep emotional impact that this new elimination has caused.
The veteran coach was particularly harsh when referring to the magnitude of the failure: “We are talking about a national team that has won the World Cup four times, this is a sporting tragedy, a disgrace. It is one of the worst things that has happened to Italian football in its recent history.” His words reflect the feelings of a large part of the fans, who are frustrated by the decline of one of the great historical powers of soccer.
Capello also pointed directly at the institutional leaders, calling for urgent changes in the structure of Italian soccer. “Nobody resigns here, and that is the most worrying thing. The first person who should take responsibility is the president of the federation, along with the entire management team,” he said bluntly. Nobody resigns here, and that is the most worrying thing. It is one of the worst things that has happened to Italian soccer in its recent history. In his analysis, the coach insisted on the need for a thorough reform that goes beyond specific decisions. “Experts must be brought in, analyze what is happening and start a reconstruction from the ground up. The problem is not only one of results, it is structural,” he explained, stressing the importance of investing in the development of youth soccer.
Despite the hard blow, Capello wanted to leave a message of hope for the future: “It will be very difficult to get up from this, but I trust that it will serve to start a real renewal. Italy needs to reinvent itself.”
The problem is not only about results, it is structural
Italy’s absence from the World Cup is a blow to a country where soccer is almost a religion. “Italy is in mourning. For such a soccer-mad country, to be left out for the third time is very hard to take,” Capello concluded, reflecting the widespread sense of disappointment that runs through calcio.
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