Could Italy’s national soccer team have a back door entry to the World Cup? And would the squad’s proud fans even want it?
Italy’s supporters were pondering the question after The Financial Times reported that Paolo Zampolli, a U.S. special envoy and close friend of President Trump’s, suggested to soccer officials this week that Italy should get Iran’s spot at the World Cup.
Iran qualified for the tournament and had three games scheduled to be played in the United States beginning June 15. But the U.S. military campaign against Iran has thrown the Middle Eastern country’s participation in doubt.
Italy failed to qualify for the newly expanded 48-team field, despite being a four-time champion. It was the third straight time the Italians have failed to qualify for the World Cup.
“I confirm I have suggested to Trump and Infantino that Italy replace Iran at the World Cup,” Zampolli told The Financial Times, referring to Gianni Infantino, the head of FIFA. “I’m an Italian native, and it would be a dream to see the Azzurri at a U.S.-hosted tournament. With four titles, they have the pedigree to justify inclusion.”
(Zampolli, a former modeling agent, discovered Melania Trump, the first lady, and also introduced her to the future president. He had made a similar suggestion after Italy failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup.)
Iran, for its part, says it intends to go to the tournament even with the ongoing hostilities with the United States.
“The Iranian team is coming, for sure,” Infantino said last week. “They really want to play, and they should play. Sports should be outside of politics.”
Still, Zampolli’s comments caused a stir. And the idea of a potential gift spot was not embraced by every fan of the Italian team.
Giovanni Bartocci, a passionate Italian sports fan who owns a restaurant in New York City, said he was “sick for three or four days” after Italy failed to qualify. “But even though it’s really painful not to be at the World Cup, I would not want Italy there,” he said. “It would be very embarrassing; it would not be right.”
Marcella Maruca, an Italy fan and a graphic designer from Connecticut, was torn. “Would I watch if they were to qualify? Of course, but it would certainly feel a little bittersweet,” she said. “There truly isn’t any winning here.”
“Ultimately I hope Iran winds up going,” said Giuseppe Rossitto, a construction superintendent from Queens. Nevertheless he added, “You best believe I’d be happy and excited to see my country back at a World Cup, especially one in my backyard.”
On the internet, where nearly every opinion can be found, there were few fans of Italy hoping to sneak into the World Cup. Words like “pathetic” and “humiliating” were readily thrown around on a Reddit page discussing the proposal.
Italian officials balked, too. Italy’s sports minister, Andrea Abodi, told Sky News that a replacement spot was “firstly not possible, and secondly not appropriate.”
Zampolli and the White House did not respond to requests for comment.
Bartocci added he was opposed to a World Cup spot for Italy “as a sportsman, not a businessman.” He said he knew that fewer fans would be coming to his Italian restaurant in the East Village with Italy not in the tournament.
Still, he said, maybe not qualifying would help the struggling Italian team in the long run: “We need something to change. We need a slap in the face; we don’t need a caress.”
Victor Mather, who has been a reporter and editor at The Times for 25 years, covers sports and breaking news.
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