Which Members of Italy’s Most Recent World Cup Squad are Still Playing Football Today?

The upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup will mark 12 long years since Italy last ventured onto the global stage, a scarcely believable fact considering the Azzurri are the second most successful football nation ever.

The Italians famously missed out on the 2018 instalment of football’s greatest party when they were beaten by Sweden across a two-legged playoff. Then, four years later, they were stunned by North Macedonia, also in the playoffs, on home turf. And unfortunately, there is no guarantee that the 12-year drought will come to an end this summer.

Italy’s Playoff Woes

For the third tournament in a row, Italy will once again have to run the gauntlet of the playoffs. After being thumped home and away by Erling Haaland’s Norway in Group I, the Azzurri will now have to beat Northern Ireland in a playoff semifinal before facing either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina with a spot on the plane to North America on the line. Online betting sites do make Gennaro Gattuso’s side the favourites to progress, but that was the case in both of Italy’s two most recent failures, and they will be hoping that it’s third time lucky in the upcoming playoffs.

Should Italy make it to North America, then a new upstart betting site will be following them every step of the way. The highly anticipated launch of Ozoon Sportsbook will have been completed well before the upcoming World Cup, with the Canadian outlet offering a huge array of markets and offers on the global spectacle.

Whether the Azzurri feature or not is entirely up to them and their ability to perform to their best in the upcoming playoffs. But as of right now, the fact remains that it has been 12 years since their last appearance at the World Cup. So, which members of that squad that travelled to Brazil back in 2014 are still playing the beautiful game today? Let’s take a look.

Mario Balotelli

The maverick Mario Balotelli was Italy’s main man in 2014. Two years prior, he blasted home a spellbinding brace in the Euro 2012 semifinals against Germany, as well as helping Manchester City to the Premier League title as well. By the time Brazil rolled around, Super Mario was leading the line for AC Milan, netting 18 times in 41 appearances in all competitions in the 2013/14 season preceding the World Cup.

In Brazil, Balotelli was up to his old tricks in the tournament opener. He netted the winner against England in Manaus, nodding past former club teammate Joe Hart to secure a 2-1 win. However, that was as good as it got. Both he and Italy went goalless throughout their next two contests against Costa Rica and Uruguay, losing both 1-0 to succumb to a shocking group stage exit.

Super Mario would join Liverpool at the culmination of the World Cup, replacing the Barcelona-bound Luis Suarez. But that was the beginning of a downturn in form for the iconic striker, and he would never rediscover the skill he showed in his Manchester City days. Fast forward to today, and the 35-year-old Balotelli has just penned a two-and-a-half-year contract with UAE First Division side Al-Ittifaq, although he is yet to make his first appearance for the club.

Marco Verratti

Midfield metronome Marco Verratti was just 21 years of age when he headed to Brazil for the World Cup, but he was considered the heir to the Italian playmaking throne soon to be vacated by the veteran Andrea Pirlo. The young Paris Saint-Germain midfielder had just six caps to his name heading into the tournament, but he started the opening game against England, even assisting Claudio Marchisio’s opener. It was all downhill from there, though, sitting on the bench for the defeat against Costa Rica before being subbed off in the loss to Uruguay.

Verratti would go on to make 55 appearances for the Azzurri, but when he swapped PSG for Qatari outfit Al-Arabi in 2023, his opportunities with the national team dried up. Now aged 33, he remains in Qatar with Al Duhail but hasn’t featured for Italy since the UEFA Nations League Third Place Play-Off victory against the Netherlands in the summer of 2023.

Ciro Immobile

Back in 2014, Ciro Immobile had just enjoyed a breakout year at Torino, firing 22 goals in 33 Serie A games to force his way onto the plane to Brazil. There, he came off the bench against both England and Uruguay but wouldn’t make much of an impression.

Across the following 12 years, the poacher would go on to become one of Serie A’s greatest ever goalscorers, blasting a record 207 goals for Lazio and helping Italy win Euro 2020. He now features for Bologna after returning to Italy following a stint with Besiktas.

Matteo Darmian

Defender Matteo Darmian was a teammate of Immobile in Turin, featuring in all but one of the club’s 38 Serie A games the season before the World Cup. He played every minute of Italy’s campaign in Brazil before securing a big-money move to Manchester United a year later. Now aged 36, he’s still on the books of Inter, making two substitute appearances this term.

Mattia Perin

Goalkeeper Mattia Perin was uncapped heading into the World Cup, and he remained that way after Brazil, after spending the tournament backing up Gianluigi Buffon. He was expected to inherit the gloves once Buffon retired, but that didn’t happen. Now, at  33, Perin has just two Italy caps to his name. He’s currently at Juventus but has made only ten appearances for the club across the last three years.

Honourable Mentions

Neither Lorenzo Insigne nor Mattia De Sciglio has retired from professional football; however, both currently remain without clubs. They were both in the Italy squad at Brazil 2014, with the former’s sole display being a substitute appearance in the loss to Costa Rica. The latter, meanwhile, played the full 90 minutes against Uruguay.