The Athletic FC Podcast Italy and the World Cup: The curse continues
Apr 1, 2026
Carl Anka, European football writer with a nose for tournament drama, and Felipe Cardenas, international football analyst focused on CONCACAF, dissect the fallout of a dramatic playoff night. They tackle Italy missing out again, Bastoni’s red card and national decline. They also spotlight Bosnia’s heroics, Tonali transfer talk, DR Congo and Jamaica’s playoff stories, and worries over the USMNT’s form.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Bosnia's Young Confidence Powered Qualification
- Bosnia's qualification burst with emotion and a confident young core, including Esmir Baraktarevic who scored the decisive penalty.
- Felipe noted Baraktarevic is America-born, played 120 minutes and even tried Rabonas late in extra time.
Tonali Is The Number Six Clubs Will Chase
- Sandro Tonali has emerged as a summer transfer target amid tactical demand for elite number sixes across top clubs.
- Carl warned against moving Tonali into the wrong role and highlighted his creative qualities beyond engine-driven defending.
Gyokeres' Last Minute Sweden Miracle
- Viktor Gyokeres scored an 88th-minute winner to send Sweden to the World Cup despite no wins in qualifying.
- Jacob Whitehead described a chaotic goalmouth scramble with the ball hitting posts twice before Gyokeres chested and headed it to score.