Italy National Team Captain Gianluigi Donnarumma Reflects on World Cup Exit and Italy's Future Gianluigi Donnarumma, the 27-year-old Manchester City goalkeeper and captain of the Italy national team, revealed that he struggled to train for several days after Italy’s heartbreaking 2-1 loss to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the 2026 World Cup play-off final at the end of March. The defeat, which ended Italy’s hopes of qualifying for the tournament, left a lasting emotional impact on the squad. Donnarumma emphasized that the most painful aspect of the loss was not just the failure to qualify but also the subsequent departures of key figures like Gennaro Gattuso, Gianluigi Buffon, and Gabriele Gravina, who had played pivotal roles in the team’s recent history. Despite the disappointment, Donnarumma is set to return to the Italy squad for two upcoming international friendlies against Luxembourg on June 3 and Greece on June 7. His inclusion marks a significant moment for the team, as he is the elder statesman of the current squad, which is led by interim coach Silvio Baldini. Baldini, who typically oversees the Italy U21 team, has assembled a squad of 24 players for these matches, with only Donnarumma, Marco Palestra, Niccolo Pisilli, and Francesco Pio Esposito having senior international experience. During a media session at Coverciano on Saturday, Donnarumma expressed his admiration for the young talent in the squad, acknowledging the challenges posed by the World Cup exit. “Having this wound will do us well in the future,” he said, adding that the team must “start again with this pain and fight back in a strong way.” He described the loss as an “incredible blow,” particularly highlighting the emotional weight of the final penalty miss that sealed Italy’s fate.#gianluigi_donnarumma #gennaro_gattuso #gabriele_gravina #gianluigi_buffon #silvio_baldini
