"Last night I cried" – Italy's captain breaks down in tears after historic humiliation

Donnarumma reveals what happened after the national team's defeat
Football news
Steven Perez Dailysports's expert
"Last night I cried" – Italy's captain breaks down in tears after historic humiliation Photo by Getty Images/Getty Images
31 mar 2026 14:45
World Cup Qualification UEFA
Bosnia and Herzegovina Italy
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Italy captain Gianluigi Donnarumma addressed his nation following a catastrophic penalty shootout defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Details: The loss in the decisive playoff match means the four-time world champions will miss a third consecutive World Cup. The goalkeeper, who failed to save his team in the penalty lottery, made no attempt to hide his emotions on Instagram, admitting that this night was a personal tragedy for him.

"Last night, after the match, I cried. I cried out of disappointment because I couldn't take Italy to where it deserves to be," Donnarumma wrote.

He emphasized that he feels immense sadness along with the entire team, which he is proud to lead as captain. According to the goalkeeper, "words mean nothing right now," but he felt it was important to share this pain with the fans, who are once again left without the world's biggest football celebration.

Despite the crushing blow, Donnarumma urged the country to find the strength to "turn the page once again." He stated that life rewards those who give their all, and promised that the team would start from scratch to bring Italy back to the top.

Reminder: During the penalty shootout, Nikola Vasilj snatched Donnarumma's cheat sheet with the Bosnian players' penalty directions.

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