Gianluca Mancini Reflects on Italy's World Cup Absence

Image

Gianluca Mancini has confessed that he finds it too painful to watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup, as Italy misses out on the tournament for the third consecutive time. The Roma defender opened up to Sky Sport, via TuttoMercatoWeb, about the deep disappointment stemming from Italy's qualification failure, recalling his presence on the field during the critical play-off defeat to Bosnia. Mancini admitted, "It is a pain, it hurts. I am not watching the matches, I cannot. I watch the highlights, but not the full games. It hurts not to be there." Despite the hurt, Mancini remains optimistic about resolving Italy's recurring qualification issues, noting, "If we have not qualified three times, it is not just a problem of young players, youth sectors, and coaches. It is bigger than that. We hope to resolve it in the coming years." Beyond the national team woes, Mancini expressed enthusiasm for Roma's upcoming Champions League journey, describing his anticipation after a recent match in Verona: "I imagined the stadiums, a little tune I have never heard in my career. It is beautiful even just to imagine it, I cannot wait to play in the competition."