The World Cup will be without Italy for the second time in a row as they also missed out in the 2018 edition in Russia. Their last world cup game was on June 15, 2014. Group stage vs England, where they failed to make it to the knock out stages while their last knock out match at the world cup was on July 9, 2006. The final vs France where they went ahead to win the world cup on penalties. In the Qatar 2022 edition, they were humiliated last night in a 1-0 defeat from North Macedonia in the qualifiers which ended their hopes of winning the world's most coveted sporting trophy in the Middle East this year. 

Aleksandar Trajkovski was the man who saw to it that the Euro 2020 champions do not set foot in Qatar this year. He scored a stoppage time goal from a 25 yard strike that Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma was unable to save from his diving effort. Several Italian players were left with their heads in their hands the moment Aleksandar netted in as the goal sparked jubilation as players and coaches on the North Macedonia bench rushed on to the pitch. This only means that the 2006 world champions and the 2020 European champions will have to wait for another four years until  2026 edition before they dream of bagging football most prestigious trophy again. But as the saying goes, the Roberto Mancini's men ‘will leave to fight another day’.