Maradona rues Italy’s absence
ROME — Argentina legend Diego Maradona on Tuesday lamented Italy’s failure to qualify for next year’s World Cup, regretting the absence of “one of the greats” of international soccer.
Four-time world champion Italy missed out on a place in the finals after Monday’s 0-0 draw in Milan in the second leg of its European playoff sent Sweden through 1-0 on aggregate.
“I am very sorry that Italy didn’t make it to the World Cup. The Italians always add a certain flair to the tournament,” Maradona wrote on his Facebook page.
“I watched the match and it seems to me that Italy played as Sweden wanted, crossing the ball. And they had two huge centerbacks,” added the former Napoli star, a World Cup winner in 1986.
“The competition gets tougher and more closed each time. It’s sad that Italy, one of the greats, has been left out of the Russian World Cup.”
No real shock
Italy’s failure to qualify for the first time in six decades came as no shock to those who believe in fate and jinxes.
Yes, Italy was expected to beat Sweden in its playoff, but the Scandinavian country has been associated with some of the Azzurri’s darkest moments.
Italy’s run of bad luck with Sweden dates all the way back to 1950 when, having won the previous two World Cups, it suffered its first ever defeat in the tournament — at the hands of the Swedes. As a result, it failed to progress to the second round.
Eight years later, Italy needed just a point to qualify for the World Cup but surprisingly lost to Northern Ireland. That was the last time Italy failed to qualify for the World Cup. The tournament was held in Sweden.
And the last time Italy failed to qualify for a major tournament, was the 1992 European Championship. The Azzurri had to beat the USSR to qualify but hit the post in a 0-0 draw and missed out on the finals — held in Sweden.
Italy also failed to qualify for the 1984 European Championship despite being world champion at the time, after two qualifying defeats to Sweden — including a 3-0 loss in Naples.
Qualifiers for 2018 World Cup
Perhaps the most famous incident of Sweden costing Italy dearly came at Euro 2004.
Only one result would have knocked Italy out of the tournament. Denmark and Sweden were angered by suggestions the Nordic neighbors would throw the game to progress together, but when the match ended in a 2-2 draw the Azzurri were out.
Italians remain embittered about that possibly contrived result — with players being asked about it in the buildup to Monday’s playoff.
In the previous game at Euro 2004, Zlatan Ibrahimovic had burst onto the international stage with an astonishing back-heeled goal five minutes from time to secure a 1-1 draw for Sweden against Italy.
And after beating Italy 1-0 on aggregate in the playoffs for the 2018 World Cup finals, Sweden is yet again Italian soccer fans’ least favorite country.