India, April 3 -- It's really unbelievable that four-time world champions Italy, for the third time running, failed to qualify for the World Cup to be held later this year in the USA, Canada and Mexico. Never before has a World Cup winner missed out on qualification three times straight.

It's indeed a sad story for Italian and international football, but sadder still for those who have never played in a World Cup and probably will never play in a World Cup. But had Italy qualified, they would have made a name for themselves at the international level in June-July later this year.

Goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, Gianluca Mancini, Alessandro Bastoni, Riccardo Calafiori, Matteo Politano, Nicolo Barella, Manuel Locatelli, Sandro Tonali, Fe...