Is soccer no longer Italy's best sport? The Azzurri face World Cup playoff amid others' success - AP News

Italy's national soccer team faces a World Cup playoff, raising questions about whether the sport's dominance in Italian culture is waning. The Azzurri's struggle to secure automatic qualification contrasts sharply with the recent success of other Italian athletic programs, suggesting a potential shift in the country's sporting priorities. Italy's failure to qualify automatically for the last two World Cups represents a significant departure from its traditional excellence in soccer, which has long been central to Italian national identity. The playoff outcome will be closely watched as a barometer of whether Italian soccer can reclaim its historic standing or whether other sports are genuinely challenging its supremacy in the nation.