Italy’s last World Cup match in June 2014 is a disturbing reminder

Looking at the last Italy team to play in an official World Cup match, it becomes clear just how much time has passed since the Azzurri were represented on the biggest stage.

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The Nazionale will face Northern Ireland in the World Cup play-off semi-final on Thursday at 19.45 GMT (20.45 CET).

If they win that fixture, then can go head-to-head with either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina in the final for a spot at the 2026 tournament in Canada, Mexico and the USA.

Italy failed in the play-offs to reach both the 2018 edition in Russia and the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, so the last time they actually played in football’s biggest tournament was 2014.

It has been 12 years since Italy played in a World Cup

Their most recent match was a 1-0 defeat to Uruguay on June 24, 2014 that saw them eliminated in the group stage.

Claudio Marchisio was sent off in that game, before Diego Godin scored a late header on a corner.

Of course, had VAR been in use at the time, then Luis Suarez also would’ve seen red for biting Giorgio Chiellini on the shoulder at the 79^th minute, when the score was still 0-0.

The coach at the time was Cesare Prandelli, and of the starting XI, only Mario Balotelli, Ciro Immobile, Matteo Darmian and Marco Verratti are still active professionals.

Gigi Buffon and Leonardo Bonucci are now members of Gennaro Gattuso’s staff, while Andrea Pirlo, Thiago Motta and Alberto Aquilani are all coaches.

When this match was played, current Nazionale striker Francesco Pio Esposito would’ve been watching on television, four days before celebrating his ninth birthday.

Italy’s last World Cup team: Buffon; Chiellini, Bonucci, Barzagli; Darmian, Marchisio, Verratti (Thiago Motta 75), Pirlo, De Sciglio; Balotelli (Parolo 46), Immobile (Cassano 71)