Surprising revelations about the Italian team before missing out on the 2026 World Cup

According to La Republica, some Italian players demanded bonus payments right before the crucial 2026 World Cup European play-off final against Bosnia & Herzegovina. And the outcome, as we know, was bitter.

Italian players demanded bonuses and the bitter outcome

Before the decisive play-off match on April 1st, Italy faced not only professional pressure but also internal issues. According to Repubblica, right in the locker room, some players discussed the bonus they would receive if they qualified for the World Cup.

Specifically, a group of "Azzurri" players proactively inquired about the bonus amount for playing at Bilino Polje stadium. The figure mentioned was around 300,000 euros (approximately 9 billion Vietnamese Dong) for 28 players, meaning each could receive over 10,000 euros.

The controversy stemmed not from the amount itself, but from the timing it was raised. When the team was facing a crucial match, discussing bonuses was seen as a lack of focus and inappropriate for the situation.

This information quickly spread internally after the players discussed it directly with some coaching staff members. The already tense atmosphere in Zenica became even more strained.

In that situation, coach Gennaro Gattuso had to intervene. He demanded the team stop the discussion and focus entirely on the goal of qualifying for the World Cup, emphasizing that the on-field result must be the top priority.

However, the subsequent events did not go as hoped. Italy lost to Bosnia in a penalty shootout and missed out on the world's biggest football event for the third consecutive time. This outcome made the locker room story even more reflective.

A detail that seemed minor but reflected a larger issue: when focus is not fully on the match, negative consequences are inevitable. For Italy, this failure also revealed signs of cracks in their approach to decisive matches.