FIFA President Gianni Infantino ‘feels like crying’ because Italy are out of the second consecutive World Cup, but dropped another hint he’s pushing for the tournament every two years.
The Azzurri failed to qualify for the 2018 tournament after losing the play-off to Sweden over two legs, while they won’t be in Qatar in November and December 2022 thanks to a 1-0 home defeat to North Macedonia.
“I feel like crying,” Infantino told RAI Sport when asked about the situation in Doha today.
“It is sad for all Italians, the second World Cup in a row without the Azzurri participating. If they qualify for the next tournament, it will still be a 12-year absence.”
Italy are the most successful European side in the history of the World Cup, winning it four times, second only on the global stage to Brazil’s five editions.
“I think back to when I was a kid, the emotions of watching the World Cup in 1978 and 1982, these are the things that make you fall in love with football,” added Infantino.
“It’s sad for the Italian children, but this is the situation, only 32 can qualify and the World Cup is every four years. For now…”
FIFA are continuing to push the ide of a World Cup tournament every two years, despite it being remarkably unpopular among the majority in Europe and even South America.
Infantino gave a very different interview today at the FIFA Congress, insisting FIFA had not proposed the idea of the biennial World Cup, but rather they had been asked to consider it by the Congress.