Dismay and disbelief as Italy crash out

ROME: Italy’s failure to qualify for the World Cup for the first time in 60 years was greeted by a mixture of disbelief, dismay and resigned disappointment by fans across the country.

“It is really very sad because watching the World Cup was something that really brought us together as Italians,” said recent graduate Stefania Pusateri, heading for the exit.

“But what is sure is that the shock will be even worse for my father. He is 54 years old and he has never had to go through something like this.”

Sitting alongside Pusateri, friend Davide Penna concurred. “I still can’t believe it has happened,” he said. “We have never experienced anything like this. It’s over.”

Similar sentiments were voiced by fans coming out of the San Siro stadium in Milan.

“I am disappointed with the whole football system in Italy,” said Mirko Palmieri. “It is the umpteenth failure of our country. Even here (at the San Siro), we can’t get the job done.”

Italy not being at the World Cup will be a new experience for most of the country’s fans, and few of them are looking forward to the experience of watching from the sidelines.

“I was born with Italy being a part of the World Cup, and it has always been like that,” one supporter told AFP on his way out of the Milan stadium.

“Tomorrow I will wake up and my life will go on but this summer I will do something else.”

Back in the Rome bar, the view that Italy deserved to be on the plane to Russia was disputed by journalism student Christian Dalenz.

“The reality is they were not good enough, they haven’t earned the right to be at the World Cup. This is a very weak squad. It just does not have enough world-class players who can make the difference.”

“It is not as if Sweden are that strong a team,” Fabio Votano, a Roman who was only a toddler when Italy last missed out on a World Cup finals, had told AFPTV hours before kick-off.

“Not winning is completely unthinkable, basically something that has never happened before. For Italy, getting to the World Cup finals is almost a duty.”

Rome resident Enrico Doddi insisted Italy’s players were good enough to have overcome Sweden.

“They’re playing miserably at the moment but Italy still has a good set of players in my opinion,” he said. “It is all down to mentality.

“You cannot have a good World Cup without Italy.” AFP