2026 World Cup: An airline mocks Italy

After Italy's elimination from the race for the 2026 World Cup following their crushing defeat in Bosnia, a true institutional crisis is shaking Italian football.

Indeed, the announced departures of Gennaro Gattuso, Gianluigi Buffon, and Federation president Gabriele Gravina highlight the magnitude of the earthquake. But before turning the page, the Azzurri are playing two friendlies this month, including trips to Luxembourg and Greece.

Ryanair didn’t hesitate to poke fun. Last Monday, Italy’s official team account posted a simple message reading “En route” alongside a photo of the players boarding for their trip to Luxembourg. It was the perfect setup for the Irish airline, well-known for its cheeky social media banter.

Responding to the Azzurri’s tweet, Ryanair fired back with a biting: “To where exactly?” This jab was a direct reference to Italy’s absence from the 2026 World Cup.

Joshua SOSSOU

Editorfr, en, ar

As a sports fan, and particularly a football fan, I've been putting my writing talent to good use for a number of years now to promote African talent and the continent's football in general. On Foot Africa, enjoy reading each of my lines.

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