How Italy’s ‘most hated’ player destroyed the Azzurri’s World Cup dreams

Robin Bairner

• 1 Apr 2026 06:07 CDT
• 3 min read

Feature

Even before Alessandro Bastoni was sent-off against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Italy’s shock World Cup qualifying loss in Zenica on Tuesday, the Inter defender had been branded his country’s “most hated” player. Now he faces an altogether new level of vilification after the Azzurri’s shock loss on penalties.

Italy looked good to end their 12-year World Cup absence with 40 minutes on the clock. Moise Kean had given Gennaro Gattuso’s side a precious lead, netting his second goal in as many games to put his side on the brink of a summer trip to North America.

Then came Gianluigi Donnarumma’s under-hit goal-kick which was returned by a Bosnian head to send Amar Memic beyond the visitors’ high backline. Bearing down on goal, he was felled by a careless, desperate challenge by Bastoni. The centre-back was dismissed for his foul, and amid a flurry of shots from the hosts after the break, an equaliser arrived 10 minutes from the end.

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Alessandro Bastoni

D (CL)

Inter

Alessandro Bastoni

D (CL)

Inter

€73M

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€65.7M - €80.3M

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In the ensuing shootout, Pio Esposito blasted over and Bryan Cristante hit the bar, consigning Italy to a summer at home. The Azzurri will therefore miss out on a very manageable World Cup group that would have contained Qatar, Canada and Switzerland.

“It hurts, because we needed it for us, for all of Italy and for our movement. A blow that's difficult to digest,” Gattuso lamented after the game.

After such defeats, there are inevitably those who foot the bill, and while the coach may well pay with his job, the price for Bastoni is likely to be a whole lot higher.

Alessandro Bastoni’s diving scandal

Bastoni arrived for this World Cup qualifying camp already bearing the anger of a nation.

The trouble for the 26-year-old dates back to the Valentine’s Day clash between Inter and Juventus, when he manufactured the sending off of Bianconeri star Pierre Kalulu by feigning injury after a clash between the pair. Kalulu was dismissed for a second booking and VAR could, therefore, not intervene.

While the Juve defender angrily protested the decision to the officials, Bastoni was busy celebrating the decision – something that has attracted as much criticism as his initial dive.

“Juventus lost three points, but Italian football lost much more,” Juventus director of football strategy Giorgio Chiellini, renowned as a master of the dark arts of defending during his playing days, thundered come full-time.

Bastoni has not been forgiven by the Italian public for his action.

He has been jeered across Serie A in the weeks since the incident, leading to him being branded the country’s “most hated” player by French outlet L’Equipe.

“His performances have been excellent despite the emotional difficulties he may have gone through, without any real guilt,” Inter boss Cristian Chivu said.

Indeed, he indirectly played a role in Italy’s playoff semi-final with Northern Ireland being played in Bergamo, where he began his professional career.

“I chose this stadium for a simple reason: when you go to San Siro, it’s divided between Milan and Inter supporters, and after 10 minutes there can be boos for a misplaced pass,” Gattuso said.

Bastoni was, therefore, spared real scrutiny in that encounter, but the worst is to come.

Bastoni faces new blacklash

The vitriol towards Bastoni, who has been linked with an €80 million switch to Barcelona this summer, will only increase in the aftermath of his red card in Zenica.

Como head coach Cesc Fabregas has already spoken of the importance of shielding the player from excessive criticism.

“He must be the future captain of the Italian national team; he is essential, and we must protect him,” the former Barcelona and Spain midfielder said following a scoreless Coppa Italia clash on 3 March.

His words resonate with even greater meaning following Bastoni’s latest mishap, and the fallout promises to test the mentality of a young man who has had a nightmare start to 2026.