How Italy and Portugal both face missing out on the World Cup | OneFootball

Italy and Portugal are Europe’s most recent continental champions.

Yet both powerhouses are in serious danger of missing out on World Cup qualification.

Here is the story behind the recent troubles of these sides.

Italy

Just four months ago, Italy were crowned champions of Europe at Wembley.

That win looked to have crowned their return to the top table after the shock of them missing out on World Cup qualification in 2018.

And yet, what once seemed unthinkable could now repeat itself.

The Euro 2020 winners have won just one of their final five qualifiers to slip out of first place and must now go through the play-offs to make it.

It began with a dominant performance against Bulgaria in Florence – a night that was supposed to be their Euros celebration party – in which they only gave up one shot on target. That was enough for them to concede. They dropped two points in a 1-1 draw.

A stalemate in Switzerland was far from disastrous, particularly when followed up by the big win over Lithuania, a win which put them in the driving seat ahead of the final two fixtures.

The penultimate game ended with another draw against the Swiss but they really should have won it and booked qualification, only for Jorginho, a man normally so reliable from 12 yards, to blast a late penalty over the bar.

Northern Ireland have cost Italy qualification in the past and many appeared resigned to their fate. Fearing the worst and without a recognised striker, they toiled to another 0-0 draw that saw them finish as group runners-up.

The papers, agitated beforehand, were a mix of disbelief and fury the following day.

“Hanging by a thread” was plastered over the front of Corriere dello Sport. “We need another Italy” was the plea from Tuttosport. “What a nightmare (but it isn’t over yet)” screamed La Gazzetta dello Sport.

Somehow, despite losing just one of their last 41 games, Italy are in this position again.

The finger-pointing at the key penalties or big chances missed has been put on hold for now because the Azzurri aren’t out of contention just yet.

“I’m confident,” said Mancini after the draw in Belfast. “What matters is that you qualify, not how you qualify.”

“But I think in March we will go to the World Cup … and we’ll maybe even win it!”

Portugal

Portugal’s Euro 2016 victory brought the nation their first-ever major trophy and hope of future success.

However, a squad made up of more big name talents than the one that proved successful in France five years ago is now at risk at missing out on Qatar 2022.

This follows on from what can be considered a disappointing performance at Euro 2020, where they won just one game and suffered a subdued last-16 exit at the hands of Belgium.

Aleksandar Mitrović’s 90th-minute winner on Sunday sealed Serbia’s place at the World Cup, leaving Fernando Santos’ side having to go through the rigours of the play-offs to make the finals.

It was their only defeat from eight qualifying group games but two unexpected draws proved costly – the 2-2 with Serbia back in March as well as the goalless trip to Ireland last week.

These types of results and performances haven’t been rare from Portugal in the past five years, they struggled to get past Azerbaijan and Ireland earlier on in this qualifying section.

They also endured two winless games against Ukraine and they only just scraped past Luxembourg.

Mustering up 17 goals in their group games is by no means disgraceful but when you consider Belgium scored 25, Denmark (30), Netherlands (33), Croatia (21) and England (39) and you look at the talent brimming in Portugal’s squad then it is a surprise that they don’t find the back of the net more often.

Cristiano Ronaldo aside, Portugal’s big-hitters struggle to produce the goods for their country as they do at club level.

Bruno Fernandes has just six goals in his 40 caps; Bernardo Silva went seven games without providing an assist or a goal before the 3-0 over Azerbaijan in September; and João Félix hasn’t scored for his country in two years.

A Bola asked “should Fernando Santos maintain his managerial position?” post-Serbia, while Marca called the defeat a “deserved punishment”.

For the first time since 1998, we could be without Portugal at a World Cup.