U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday (May 23, 2026) a deal with Iran had been “largely negotiated,” with the proposal including opening the crucial Strait of Hormuz, though the agreement was “subject to finalisation.” “An Agreement has been largely negotiated
A person who approached a White House security checkpoint and began firing at officers has died, according to federal officials. The U.S. Secret Service said in a statement late on Saturday (May 23, 2026) that, according to a preliminary investigation
Pakistani woman says corporate culture makes employees feel guilty for taking leave: ‘Rest needs justification’A Pakistani woman said corporate jobs made employees feel guilty for taking paid leaves they were allowed to use. Published on: May 24
This crunchy veggie rice paper pancake is the perfect quick-fix snack for sudden hunger cravings at home: Full recipeFrom crispy edges to flavour-packed bites, try this veggie rice paper pancake recipe for an ultimate comfort snack for lazy evenings. Updated on: May 24
Amazon techie earning ₹11 lakh/month has 1 house in US, 4 properties in India, Range Rover — but no emergency fundAn Amazon employee earning close to $300,000 feels financially insecure despite significant savings and investments. Published on: May 24
Is soccer no longer Italy's best sport? The Azzurri face World Cup playoff amid others' success
Italy's soccer team faces a crucial playoff to reach the World Cup. This comes as other Italian sports teams achieve record success. The men's soccer team risks missing a third World Cup in a row. They must win upcoming matches to avoid a long drought. This situation contrasts sharply with Italy's triumphs in rugby, tennis, and volleyball.
Rome: Italy is coming off a record performance at the Winter Olympics.
Kimi Antonelli just became the second youngest driver at 19 to win a Formula One race and is considered The Next Big Thing in auto racing.
The Azzurri rugby squad beat England for the first time in the Six Nations.
Jannik Sinner is back to winning ways on the tennis court.
Italy's men and women are the world champions in volleyball.
Even the country's unheralded baseball and cricket teams have broken barriers recently.
Yet there's one big team from Italy that continues to struggle. The once-dominant men's soccer team is at risk of failing to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup.
The four-time World Cup champion needs to beat Northern Ireland in the playoffs next Thursday in Bergamo and then either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina away to avoid going at least 16 years without even playing a match at soccer's biggest event.
"Sports are about cycles but this one in soccer has gone on for too long," Italy Sports Minister Andrea Abodi says.
An entire generation - basically anyone under 15 - has no memory of the last time Italy played in the World Cup: An elimination loss to Uruguay in 2014 in Brazil remembered for Luis Suarez's bite of Giorgio Chiellini's shoulder.
"For generations of Italians, the World Cup was the time when the country came together and waved our flag," Abodi tells La Stampa. "Our national spirit now extends beyond soccer but it would still be nice to share those emotions with younger fans."
Doomed qualifying campaign
Italy's qualifying campaign was doomed in the opening match by a 3-0 loss at Erling Haaland's Norway - leading to coach Luciano Spalletti being replaced by Gennaro Gattuso.
The Azzurri then went on a six-match winning streak before losing again to Norway in November to finish second in their group and end up in the playoffs again - the stage where Italy was eliminated by Sweden before the 2018 World Cup and by North Macedonia in 2022.
Northern Ireland troubled Italy before
Ranked 13th, Italy will be a heavy favorite against No. 69 Northern Ireland.
But the Azzurri should be reminded that their last meeting, a 0-0 draw in Belfast in 2021, plunged the recently crowned European champion into the playoffs for the 2022 World Cup.
Italy has won all seven of its home games against Northern Ireland and the opponent's captain, Liverpool right back Conor Bradley, is out injured.
Northern Ireland coach Michael O'Neill was also appointed Blackburn manager last month in an arrangement that sees him splitting duties.
20 years since a knockout match
Italy's World Cup struggles go back all the way to 2010 and 2014, having failed to advance from its group on both occasions.
The Azzurri's last World Cup knockout match was when they won the title in 2006 by beating France in a penalty shootout - a match remembered more for Zinedine Zidane headbutting Marco Materazzi.
So it's no accident that members of the 2006 squad are involved in trying to revive the Azzurri's fortunes - starting with Gattuso.
Former goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, who holds the record with 176 appearances for Italy, is the national team's delegation chief and had a role in selecting Gattuso.
Also, former fullback Gianluca Zambrotta and former midfielder Simone Perrotta are working in the Italian federation's youth development program.
Dinners in lieu of training camp
Even with Gattuso and Buffon making their cases, the national team was not able to convince soccer authorities to set up a training camp in the four months since Italy last played.
Instead, Gattuso and Buffon embarked on a tour up and down Italy - plus trips to London, Saudi Arabia and Qatar - to share dinners with the squad's players and maintain team spirit.
Struggles go beyond national team
Serie A has gone from being a destination for the world's best players in the 1990s and early 2000s to a competition that now attracts castoffs past their prime from other leagues.
No Italian club has won the Champions League since Inter Milan in 2010.
Italy won the European Championship under Roberto Mancini in 2021 but it was also under Mancini that the Azzurri failed to qualify for the following year's World Cup.
Mancini left the team in chaos by resigning to take on a lucrative job as Saudi Arabia coach in 2023.
Spalletti had little time to prepare Italy for Euro 2024 and the Azzurri were eliminated by Switzerland in the round of 16.
Too much attention to tactics
With the national team's struggles in mind, federation president Gabriele Gravina this week unveiled a new youth development program he says is aimed at "overcoming a sort of extreme tacticalism that really worries me."
Gravina suggests Italian clubs and coaches need to move away from defensive tactics that prioritize "winning at all costs."
Perhaps the soccer team could learn some lessons from Italy's successes in other sports, too.
Add as a Reliable and Trusted News Source Add Now!
Source: EconomicTimes
Related Posts: Soccer-Dortmund hold off Monterrey to reach Club World Cup quarter-finals Soccer-New coach Gattuso vows to restore enthusiasm to battered Italy Soccer-Italy appoint Gattuso as manager to succeed Spalletti Iran soccer team exits Women's Asian Cup and faces the prospect of a return home KKR keep playoff hopes alive by beating Mumbai Indians in crucial clash Trump advises Iran soccer team to skip World Cup for 'their own life and safety' Italy hoping to scale World Cup No Fifa plans for Iran-Italy swap at World Cup Gattuso named Italy coach as the Azzurri aim to avoid missing out on a third straight World Cup Italy shattered as players left in tears after missing World Cup - See Photos
With big-budget spectacles and larger-than-life action becoming the norm, one upcoming Hindi film is now aiming for something Indian cinema has rarely explored in a full-fledged way… alien horror. Actor Akshay Kumar is set to headline Samuk, a sci-fi thriller centred around extraterrestrial
1 days ago
Kara OTT release: Dhanush's ₹50 crore heist film gets digital release in less than a month; when and where to watchKara OTT release: Vignesh Raja's Tamil film starring Dhanush and Mamitha Baiju was released in theatres on April 30. Know when and where to stream it online. May 24, 2026
1 days ago
The Supreme Court on Saturday registered a suo motu case in connection with the death of a woman in Madhya Pradesh, whose family has alleged that her in-laws harassed her for dowry, reported The Hindu. Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul Pancholi will hear the case on
1 days ago
Rare lung transplant at Apollo saves a life; spotlight on India's organ donor shortageRare lung transplant at Apollo saves a life; spotlight on India's organ donor shortage Published on: May 24, 2026 10:33 AM IST PTI Share via Copy link New Delhi, A year ago, every breath felt borrowed
1 days ago
Editorial independence is core to our work. Some links may earn us a commission, without influencing our opinions.These countertop organisers, crockery pick and jars can give your kitchen a Pinteresty spin by keeping the clutter awayTurn your kitchen into a photo-ready space with stylish organisers
1 days ago
Indian athletics witnessed a historic evening in Ranchi as Tejaswin Shankar became the first Indian ever to breach the 8000-point barrier in decathlon at the Federation Cup on Saturday. The 27-year-old produced a sensational all-round performance to finish with 8057 points
1 days ago
The Centre released draft rules for the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025 for public consultation. The rules focus on governance, grievance redressal, and transitioning from MGNREGA to the new rural employment scheme
1 days ago
The National Threat Analytics Unit of the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) has warned of a sophisticated phishing campaign impersonating Apple tech support to target whose devices have been lost or stolen, officials said on Saturday.The I4C, which functions under the Union Home Ministry
1 days ago
Sachin Tendulkar praised his son Arjun's IPL debut for Lucknow Super Giants. Arjun Tendulkar showed patience and skill in his first match. He bowled well and took a wicket. Sachin Tendulkar expressed pride in his son's performance and attitude
1 days ago
White House shooting suspect claimed to be ‘real’ Osama bin Laden, threatened Trump online: ReportOsama bin Laden was the founder and leader of the terror group Al-Qaeda, which was reportedly responsible the 9/11 attacks. Updated on: May 24, 2026 11:02 AM IST By Anita Goswami Share via Copy
1 days ago
May 24, Birthday Horoscope: Here's what the tarot cards have in store for youIf your birthday falls on May 24, here’s what your year ahead looks like, as per Tarot. Published on: May 24, 2026 11:00 AM IST By Kishori Sud Share via Copy link If you were born on May 24
1 days ago
George Russell may have delivered the perfect answer to mounting pressure at Mercedes. After a fiery sprint race clash with championship-leading teammate Kimi Antonelli earlier on Saturday, the Briton bounced back in style to grab pole position for Sunday’s Canadian Grand Prix — edging the
1 days ago
BJP candidate Debangshu Panda is leading significantly in the Falta assembly constituency repoll. After five rounds of counting, Panda has secured a lead of over 14,000 votes against his CPI(M) rival. The repoll followed allegations of EVM tampering and irregularities during the initial polling
1 days ago
The suspect in a shooting near the White House was killed in an exchange of fire with Secret Service agents on Saturday evening, officials have confirmed. BBC's US media partner CBS has named the suspect as Nasire Best, a 21-year-old man who was known to the Secret Service and had a documented
1 days ago
CPI(M) MP raises concerns over CBSE's digital evaluation, seeks interventionCPI(M) MP raises concerns over CBSE's digital evaluation, seeks intervention Published on: May 23, 2026 5:22 PM IST PTI Share via Copy link New Delhi, The Rajya Sabha leader of the CPI, John Brittas
1 days ago
Imagine enjoying a decadent, fudge‑like treat that also supports your hormones, libido, and menstrual rhythm, all while being packed with collagen, magnesium, adaptogens, and lignan‑rich omega‑3s. These Seed Cycling Hormone Bliss Balls are designed around the simple yet powerful practice of
1 days ago
Weekly Love Horoscope for May 24-30, 2026: The stars brings positive energies for these zodiac signsWeekly Love Horoscope for May 24-30, 2026: This week asks for patience, trust, and emotional resilience. Published on: May 24, 2026 7:30 AM IST By Kishori Sud Share via Copy link Aries Love feels
1 days ago
From a darkly comic tale of revenge to a beautiful contemplation on friendship, here are the year's most acclaimed works of fiction so far. "Daring, deranged, cleverly written," is how Vogue describes the buzzy debut by Caro Claire Burke. In this satirical thriller
1 days ago
Overnight fires in Delhi: Shops, homes gutted in four blazesA fire department officer was injured after the tin shed of one of the shops he was standing on during the firefighting operation collapsed. Updated on: May 24, 2026 7:37 AM IST By Karn Pratap Singh Share via Copy link Four separate fire
1 days ago
As per the government, the new rules enable families living in Delhi to submit applications if their annual household income is within the newly prescribed limit. New Delhi: The Delhi government has reopened the process of issuing fresh ration cards under changed eligibility criteria after a gap of
1 days ago
The reported disruption of AI-animated film Critterz after OpenAI allegedly shut down Sora has sparked a larger conversation around one major issue in tech and entertainment: what happens when creators build entire projects on platforms they do not control?The reported disruption of AI-animated
1 days ago
Ex-Meta employee says non-Chinese workers were targeted for layoffsA laid-off Meta engineer has alleged that he was routinely excluded and ostracised by his Chinese colleagues at the company. Updated on: May 24, 2026 7:01 AM IST By Sanya Jain Share via Copy link A laid-off Meta engineer has alleged
1 days ago
Mackenzie Shirilla wanted Kim Kardashian's help; here's why it's not happeningMackenzie Shirilla sought Kim Kardashian's legal support following the release of The Crash documentary, but Kardashian reportedly has no plans to get involved. May 24, 2026
1 days ago
X warns founder against reuploading White House shooting video: 'Revenue reduced by 90%'Nikita Bier of X warned a user against reuploading the White House shooting video, asking him to ‘Quote’ or ‘Video Reshare’ instead. Updated on: May 24, 2026 6:14 AM IST By Sanya Jain Share via Copy link
1 days ago
Sonam Wangchuk says Article 371 talks for Ladakh still ‘work in progress’; backs Cockroach Janta PartySonam Wangchuk hoped constitutional safeguards will be granted to Ladakh after recent talks between Ladakh groups and the Centre. Updated on: May 24
1 days ago
Talking about international partnerships, PM Modi said India’s growing ties with global companies and countries would create new opportunities for young people. Prime Minister Narendra Modi distributed more than 51,000 appointment letters to newly recruited candidates during the 19th Rozgar Mela
1 days ago
Dipika Kakar’s father-in-law in ICU after suffering stroke, Shoaib Ibrahim seeks prayers: ‘24 hrs are crucial’Shoaib Ibrahim took to Instagram to inform fans that his father has been hospitalised once again after suffering another stroke. May 24, 2026
1 days ago
