This isn't a crisis of spirit; it's a catalyst. The national team's failure provides the political cover needed to force a radical, long-avoided restructuring of the financially precarious Serie A. The subsequent boardroom battle over the league's future will have far greater economic consequences than a missed tournament. The question is what new system will rise from the ashes of the old.
Italy's failure to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup is being framed as a national crisis, but its true significance lies off the pitch. The national team's repeated collapse provides the political cover needed to force a radical, long-avoided restructuring of the financially precarious Serie A, Italy's top domestic league. This is not a crisis of spirit, but a catalyst for systemic change that has been resisted for years.
The ensuing boardroom battle over the league's future will carry far greater economic consequences than the missed tournament. At stake is the fundamental model of Italian club football, which has been financially unstable and has fallen behind its European rivals. The key question now is not about the national team's next coach, but what new system will rise from the ashes of the old and who will control it.
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