Carlo Ancelotti: Italy’s last hope at a World Cup on foreign soil

Carlo Ancelotti remains Italy’s only remaining hope of World Cup glory at the 2026 tournament, now under way in North America. Ancelotti is the sole Italian connected to the competition after Italy’s national team failed to qualify via the March play-off defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina. Vincenzo Montella, head coach of Turkiye, and 2006 World Cup-winning captain Fabio Cannavaro, head coach of Uzbekistan, are also representing Italy at the tournament. Montella’s Turkiye side were mathematically eliminated after losing 0-2 to Australia and 0-1 to Paraguay in their first two group matches. Even if Turkiye beat Group D leaders USA in their next game, they cannot overtake Australia or Paraguay due to head-to-head rules. Despite the early exit, Montella is not expected to resign, nor is he expected to be sacked by the Turkish FA in the immediate future.

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“We will stand by our coach, and we will stand by our players. This is not a club team, and even their failures occur due to a lack of consistency. You can’t get rid of 15 players and bring in 15 more, or change one coach for another,” said the President of the Turkish FA. Cannavaro’s Uzbekistan are also on the verge of elimination after losing their opening two matches. Their final group fixture is against DR Congo, but they can finish no higher than third place with a maximum of three points. Uzbekistan will need other results to go their way and improve their current goal difference of -7 to have any chance of progressing. That leaves Ancelotti as the last remaining Italian with a path to glory at the 2026 World Cup. Brazil, coached by Ancelotti, currently top Group C on four points, level with Morocco ahead of their final group match against Scotland. The Selecao are not yet mathematically qualified but remain clear favourites to advance.