Recently, FIFA President Gianni Infantino made headlines during an interview with Brazilian broadcaster Cazé, discussing the awkward situation of Italy's national team missing the World Cup for three consecutive tournaments. He humorously joked about the "Azzurri," sparking widespread discussion in the football community.
⚽ An Unprecedented Path to Expansion
During the interview, Infantino first addressed the reform of the current World Cup format. He stated, "We will first observe the overall effect of this 48-team World Cup, which is undoubtedly an unprecedented football event. We have already discussed further expanding the number of participating teams to 64, allowing more countries to take the stage at the World Cup. Relevant proposals have been submitted for consideration by the FIFA Council. For now, let's enjoy the inaugural 48-team World Cup."
😂 Infantino's "Sharp" Humor
As a well-known figure in the football world, Infantino displayed an extremely humorous side when discussing Italian football.
He quickly joked, "If we expand to 64 teams in the future, maybe Italy will finally qualify..."
His joking didn't stop there; he even added, "Why not just expand the participating teams to 208? Let's see if they can manage to qualify then."
Although this was just a humorous remark made by Infantino during the interview, it undeniably reflects the harsh reality of Italy's disappointing performances on the international stage in recent years. As a traditional football powerhouse, Italy's continued absence from the World Cup has left countless fans of the Azzurri feeling regretful.