Italy's World Cup exit sees tearful Buffon lead De Rossi, Chiellini and Barzagli in ending Azzurri careers

AP
James Benge14 November 2017

Failure to qualify for a major tournament inevitably leads to a changing of the guard for major national teams but Italy’s failure to reach the 2018 World Cup has led to an exodus of veteran talent on a remarkable scale.

The last vestiges of the 2006 World Cup-winning side played their final game for the Azzurri in the San Siro as a 0-0 draw with Sweden saw Gian Piero Ventura’s side slip to a 1-0 aggregate defeat.

As the visiting Swedes celebrated, Italian icons struggled to hold back the tears after earning an ignominious place in their country’s history, the first side in most of the country’s lifetime who had failed to reach the World Cup, a feat they had not previously managed since 1958.

Standard Sport looks at some of the Italian greats who called it a day last night…

Gianluigi Buffon

AP

Over 20 years after he made his debut in a World Cup play-off in the Moscow snow one of the Azzurri’s great servants saw his stewardship end in tearful fashion.

“We failed something that could’ve been truly important for the country,” a distraught Buffon said at full-time. “That is the only regret I have and certainly not that I am finishing my career, because time passes and it’s only right.

Had Buffon been able to play on until the World Cup he might have been able to add the 10 appearances he needs to become the most capped international player in history. As is the 40-year-old is likely to retire from football this summer – unless Juventus win the Champions League – as almost certainly the greatest goalkeeper of his generation.

Giorgio Chiellini

EPA

A mainstay of the Italian defence for the last eight years Chiellini is another who retires agonisingly short of a personal landmark, with 96 caps to his name. The Juventus centre-back’s versatility has been crucial for club and country and Gian Piero Ventura’s successor will struggle to find a player who allows him to switch between a back four and back three with such fluidity.

“I am certain that if what we saw tonight can be built on, it will be seen as a zero hour,” Chiellini, 33, said. “Italy hadn’t missed the World Cup in 60 years, so clearly it is a sea change. Football belongs to everyone and we all want to create a new era.”

Andrea Barzagli

One of only three men standing from the 2006 World Cup win, the 36-year-old Barzagli labelled missing out on Russia 2018 as “the biggest disappointment of my life”, despite having been in the core of the Juventus side that has twice in three years fallen agonisingly short in Champions League finals.

“At least at Euro 2016 we were crying because we came so close, but not even qualifying is a heavy blow for my whole career,” he said. “With Gigi [Buffon] and Daniele we had the adventure in the 2006 World Cup, but also had many adventures with Giorgio.

Daniele De Rossi

Getty Images

The Roma captain ended his Azzuri career in combustible fashion, clamouring to the coaching staff to introduce Napoli forward Lorenzo Insigne as he was told to warm up in the closing minutes at the San Siro.

“It’s a dark moment for our football, very dark for those of us who were part of this two-year era,” De Rossi told Rai Sport.

Though Italy are not short of options in a midfield that includes Jorginho and Marco Verratti they will unquestionably miss the tenacity of De Rossi.

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