Italy face Northern Ireland in a World Cup play-off semi-final on Thursday, desperately seeking to avoid becoming the first former winners to miss three consecutive tournaments. The Azzurri's qualifying campaign was marked by turmoil, including the dismissal of manager Luciano Spalletti after a 3-0 loss to Norway. Gennaro Gattuso's surprise appointment as his successor failed to deliver consistent results, despite a brief upturn winning five straight games. Italy now sit second in Group I, needing to win both play-off legs to reach the 2026 finals.

Their recent form shows promise with a 75% win rate in qualifiers, yet nerves remain high after painful play-off defeats to Sweden and North Macedonia in recent years. A win against Northern Ireland would set up a potential clash with Wales or Bosnia-Herzegovina next week.