World Cup kicks off with global party, but Italy watches from the sidelines

The World Cup has kicked off with global fanfare, but for Italy, the celebration is muted, marked by resignation and disappointment. For the third consecutive tournament, the Italian national team, the 'Azzurri,' will not be participating, leaving fans to watch from the sidelines.

In a country where football is practically a religion, the next month will see a starkly different atmosphere. Instead of the usual fervent nationalistic fervor, a sense of disillusionment prevails. Some fans have opted to ignore the event altogether, while others plan to support rival nations, with Brazil, Argentina, and Spain being popular choices.

The iconic streets of Rome and Milan will be alive with the sounds of the World Cup, but the dominant color will not be the Azzurri's blue. Instead, fans from various participating countries will fill the piazzas. For instance, Mexican fans gathered in Rome for the opening match, an event organized by their embassy, offering a rare glimpse of World Cup excitement in a nation grappling with its absence from the global stage.

Italian sports media has captured the national sentiment. La Gazzetta dello Sport's front page declared, "Everyone is here (except us)," acknowledging the widespread participation while highlighting Italy's exclusion. The paper has dedicated a special issue to the tournament, focusing on nostalgia and collectible Panini albums from past World Cups. Corriere dello Sport, meanwhile, has focused on the "Last Dance" of legends like Messi and Ronaldo, with only a small mention of Italy's presence on the sidelines through its coaches managing other teams.

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Everyone is here (except us)