Italy boss Roberto Mancini rejected suggestions failure to qualify for the World Cup was down to him being too loyal to the players who won Euro 2020.
The Azzurri, having failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, caused a surprise by winning the European Championship in stunning fashion.
However, since the quarter-final victory over Belgium, have won just two competitive matches and that has seen them miss out on a second consecutive World Cup.
Asked whether he had been to loyal to the players who helped him win the Euros, he told a press conference: “I don’t think that’s the case.
“If we look at quality, we should have gone straight to the World Cup with the group we have created. Unfortunately, certain situations cost us as shown in the game against [North] Macedonia, where there were many bad moments and then they scored from 50 metres in the 92nd minute.
“We have a young squad. No loyalty problem.”
Italy won both the semi-final, against Spain, and final, against England, at Euro 2020 on penalties and their quest to top their World Cup qualifying group was hampered by draws home and away against Switzerland as well as with Bulgaria.
In the meantime, they also lost against Spain in the UEFA Nations League semi-final but beat Belgium in a play off to finish third.
The Azzurri face Copa America-winners Argentina in the Finalissima on June 1 and open their 2022-23 Nations League campaign with the visit of Germany on June 4.