Italy started quite well away, when they took the lead thanks to a goal by Moise Kean, until Alessandro Bastoni was sent off for fouling Amar Memic when he had a chance to score before halftime.
The blue shirt team held on until the 79th minute when Tabakovic scored the equalizer 1-1, forcing the match to drag on to extra time.
During extra time, Italy had scoring opportunities but Tonali or Esposito did not take advantage of them successfully. Stepping into the penalty shootout, Italy was clearly tense and lost to the opponent 1-4, after Francesco Pio Esposito and Bryan Cristante missed.
I just finished talking to the whole team. I can only thank them, because it has been many years since I have witnessed the national team play with such determination.
It's heartbreaking, really heartbreaking, but we have to accept it. I don't want to talk about the referee or anything else, we could have scored the second goal but didn't.
I am proud of the players, but it is heartbreaking to accept this outcome. It will take time to overcome it. Personally, this is a big shock," Gattuso shared with Italian media after the match.
This is the 3rd consecutive World Cup that the Italian team has not passed the qualifiers. Gattuso, although he has helped the team play quite well in recent matches, could not bring the team to the biggest festival of world football.
When asked what would happen next to him if he could not help the team participate in the 2026 World Cup, Gattuso said: "Let's wait and see, but I don't think this is the time to talk about my future or anyone else's. This is football, sometimes it makes you celebrate, sometimes it makes you suffer".
Being eliminated by Bosnia and Herzegovina is the next strong blow to Italian football. Previously, all clubs had been eliminated from the Champions League before the quarter-finals.
I will not participate in this debate, I am a coach. We all know that this is a struggle in recent years, I am not the right person to say what we need to improve, there are people who understand better than me. So let's wait and see," Gattuso gave his opinion on the decline of Italian football at all levels.
Meanwhile, Gigi Buffon - Head of the Italian national team emphasized that he and Gennaro Gattuso will continue to be associated with the Italian national team until June 2026, so that the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) has time to find a new coach after the failure in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
FIGC President Gabriele Gravina confirmed that he has asked Gattuso and Buffon to continue leading the Italian national team, but it seems the situation is still uncertain.
This is a sensitive time, and we need to spend the necessary time to make the right assessments. Clearly, the sports season ends in June, so until then, it is right and fair that we are willing to support the Federation, the President and all those who have trusted me," Buffon said.
