The Cult of Calcio
Italy got their stuttering 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign back on track with a pair of convincing victories during October’s international break. Automatic qualification remains on the cards, yet the Azzurri must pull off a miracle in the last two Group I matches to overtake Norway at the table’s summit.
Failure is not an option for Italy after the four-time world champions missed out on the last two final tournaments. Missing out on a third consecutive World Cup would be a catastrophe of epic proportions for one of football’s most storied nations. Therefore, there’s no longer a margin for error.
Italy bounced back from a calamitous 3-0 away defeat to Norway on matchday…
