Can Italy Miss the World Cup for a Third Consecutive Time?

Bill Reno February 20, 2026

The last time Italy played in a World Cup, they won it. That was 2006. They attended 2010 and 2014, accomplishing nothing of note in either, and then failed to show up to the next 2 altogether.

A 4-time world champion was reduced to watching from home while nations with a fraction of their football history competed. It happened in 2018. It happened again in 2022. And now, with the 2026 tournament approaching, Italy finds itself in the playoffs for a third straight qualifying cycle, staring at the same trapdoor that swallowed them twice before. The situation is familiar in a way that should unsettle anyone wearing an Azzurri shirt.

How Italy Ended Up Here Again

Italy finished second in Group I of UEFA’s qualifying round, behind Norway. They collected 18 points across the group, winning 6 matches but losing twice to Norway. That second-place finish meant they could not book a direct ticket to the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Instead, they were funneled into the playoff bracket, a place that has brought them nothing but misery in recent years.

In 2017, Sweden knocked Italy out over 2 legs in the playoff round, and the Azzurri missed the 2018 World Cup in Russia. It was the first time since 1958 that Italy had failed to qualify. Then, in March 2022, North Macedonia beat them 1-0 in the playoff semi-finals. A single goal from a country with a population smaller than Rome kept the reigning European champions out of Qatar. The defeats were different in character but identical in outcome.

The Playoff Draw and What It Means

Italy will host Northern Ireland on March 26 in a single-legged semi-final at Bergamo. There is no return leg, no aggregate scoreline to fall back on. One match, one result. If Italy wins, they travel away to face the winner of Wales versus Bosnia and Herzegovina on March 31 in the playoff final.

The single-leg format is worth paying attention to. It compresses the margin for error into 90 minutes. North Macedonia proved in 2022 that anything can happen in that kind of setup. Italy was at home that night too, and it did not save them.

Gattuso’s Preparations and Squad Building

Gennaro Gattuso took over the national team with this playoff as his first real test. Reports indicate he has been traveling to meet with key players ahead of the March window. He and Gianluigi Buffon, now serving in a team ambassador or advisory role, reportedly sat down with Marco Verratti to discuss a potential return to the squad.

Gattuso has also visited Gianluigi Donnarumma and Sandro Tonali in England, as well as Mateo Retegui in Saudi Arabia.

These meetings suggest that Gattuso is treating the playoffs with the urgency they deserve. The squad he selects will tell us a lot about his priorities, specifically how much he values veteran presence against Northern Ireland versus younger legs who might carry the team through both rounds if they advance.

Where the Betting Lines Sit for Italy’s Playoff Path

Sportsbooks have priced Italy as heavy favorites to beat Northern Ireland, with ESPN listing them at -320 on the moneyline. DraftKings and BetMGM both offer outright World Cup odds of +3000 and +3300 on Italy to win the tournament, placing them well behind favorites like France, Argentina, and England. Those numbers tell you bookmakers expect Italy to qualify, but see them as long shots beyond that.

Playoff Path A odds sit at 1.53 for Italy to advance through both rounds. Wales and Bosnia and Herzegovina remain as possible final opponents if Italy gets past Bergamo.

What Happens If They Get Through

Should Italy qualify, they land in Group B at the 2026 World Cup alongside Canada, Qatar, and Switzerland. On paper, that group looks manageable for a team of Italy’s pedigree, though pedigree has proven to be an unreliable predictor in their case lately.

The +3000 and +3300 odds to win the tournament outright show where the market thinks Italy sits among the contenders. They are not considered serious threats to win the whole thing. Getting there would be the first real achievement for this generation.

Why Northern Ireland Should Not Be Underestimated

Northern Ireland earned their playoff spot through the Nations League after finishing third in Group A behind Germany and Slovakia. Their squad is made up almost entirely of lower-division English league players, with Conor Bradley at Liverpool being the notable exception. On paper, they have no business being in this conversation. But Michael O’Neill has called this group young and fearless, and that description should sound familiar.

The history between these two teams adds an uncomfortable footnote. Northern Ireland beat Italy 2-1 in Belfast in January 1958 and knocked them out of that year’s World Cup. Their most recent meeting was a 0-0 draw in Belfast in November 2021, a result that helped push Italy into the very playoff round where North Macedonia eliminated them.

Northern Ireland has not qualified for a World Cup since 1986, and they have nothing to lose. Italy, on the other hand, has everything to lose, and recent history says that imbalance tends to work against it.

The Real Question

Can Italy miss the World Cup for a third straight time? Yes. The probability is low according to betting markets, but the probability was low the last 2 times as well. Italy were the favorites against Sweden in 2017. They were heavy favorites against North Macedonia in 2022. Favorites lose in football. It happens with enough regularity that the word “favorite” comes with an asterisk in knockout rounds.

Northern Ireland is a significant underdog at +900. They are not expected to win. But expectation and outcome have parted ways for Italy before, and the Azzurri know better than anyone that qualification is earned on the pitch, not on a betting slip. March 26 in Bergamo will answer the question one way or the other.

America's 100 Greatest Goalkeepers

Bill Reno February 12, 2026

For 250 years, America has been a melting pot of people from all types of backgrounds living all types of lives. And for over half of that time, American goalkeepers displayed a similar variety in how they played the game, making it very difficult to precisely define an American goalkeeper. They are brave. They are athletic. They are tall. They are short. They played for the national team. They played for a team you’ve never heard of. They played three other sports. They only wanted to play goalkeeper and nothing else. They won many awards. They are a forgotten hero of a time long passed. They played college soccer. They played abroad. They grew up in the heartland of the country, waiting for their time to shine. They immigrated to the US, looking to carve their own way. And for someone, they were the best goalkeeper they’ve ever seen.

When it comes to American goalkeepers proving their worth, Steve Holroyd summed up the challenge the net minders faced when earning a chance on the field, “Americans were always frowned upon. ‘You're not wanted here. We'll take your money but let us play the game.’ But as early as the 1920s, goalkeeper was the one position that Americans were welcomed to play. And the thought was, ‘What do we do well that the rest of the world doesn't?’” In nearly every international competition - especially the ones where the US national team performed less than desired - their goalkeeper was praised as not only the highlight of the team, but as being one of the better goalkeepers in the entire tournament.

With the 2026 Men’s World Cup, 2028 Olympics, and 2031 Women’s World Cup all being hosted on American soil in the next few years, it’s time to look back and recognize the nation’s top goalkeeping from over the 150 years of play. Although the photos from old newspapers can seem so foreign, the past is still extremely relevant to today’s goalkeepers in more than one way, as this venture will prove out.

For the rankings, goalkeepers were rated on their individual skill (based on individual awards, team success, and in-person accounts), national team relevancy, club career, and overall impact on the American scene. With the ever-changing landscape over the one-and-a-half centuries, it’s important to recognize that today’s high-profile teams, leagues, and tournaments shouldn’t overshadow past events when considering our country’s lineage of goalkeepers. Without a first, there is no second to come after. For some goalkeepers, the national team wasn’t always an available option, while at other times great goalkeeping occurred in leagues and tournaments that no longer exist. Additionally, some goalkeepers had shorter careers than others (some due to injury, teams folding, or even service in the war), but their ability to represent and impact a bigger picture was taken into account when trying to slot their deserved rank.

Each goalkeeper is given a short bio on why they’re important to the story of American goalkeeping and how they connect to today’s goalkeepers. Considering the graveyard of first division soccer leagues that have come and gone over the years, goalkeepers have always faced the challenge of weighing when to move on from the game versus continuing to put their body on the line for their teammates. Although moving across the country to play for a new team may seem fairly accessible nowadays, that wasn’t always the case, which is why top goalkeepers popped up in seemingly random places when looking back throughout the decades.

But perhaps the most relatable challenge that draws a line from Dennis Shay and Lori Kats to the goalkeepers of tomorrow is through the one simple task that has always been the foundation to American goalkeepers: keep the ball out of the net.

As the biographies take time to write, they will be released in groups of ten at a later date.

Goalkeepers 1-10
Goalkeepers 11-20
Goalkeepers 21-30
Goalkeepers 31-40
Goalkeepers 41-50
Goalkeepers 51-60
Goalkeepers 61-70
Goalkeepers 71-80
Goalkeepers 81-90
Goalkeepers 91-100
Honorable Mentions

The series is dedicated to Steve Holroyd, who passed away on April 5, 2025. Steve was incredibly helpful in understanding our country’s history with the position. Steve appeared on the Everybody Soccer podcast multiple times, often at the drop of a hat and for extended, lengthy conversations. The most recent episode was aptly centered on the very beginnings of American goalkeeper. Steve’s selfless attitude, inquisitive mind, and countless hours spent digging into American soccer history will be a constant building block for many generations to come.

America's 100 Greatest Goalkeepers (Honorable Mentions)

Bill Reno February 12, 2026

Clearly it’s an impossible task to neatly narrow down 150 years into 100 names so we’d be in error to overlook early pioneers like Patrick Hughes (Clark ONT’s stellar goalkeeping from 1884-1889) and J. Crossan Cooper (Princeton’s three-time All-American goalkeeper from 1920-1922). In the early part of the 20th century, goalkeepers like Cooper had limited availability to play, thus making international tournaments not only exciting and novel but also a rare moment for goalkeepers to really test their mettle.

Goalkeepers like Archie Strimel (1948 Olympics) and even - what should have been - 1980 Olympic goalkeepers Paul Coffee and Peter Arnautoff should be remembered for being as good as they were, despite the lowered ceiling that was dropped on them.

Although the 1920’s was a bright spot for American soccer, the second ASL that followed after the Great Depression is largely overlooked in favor of the NASL or MLS, despite the league producing standout goalkeeping with Johnny Hamm (3x National Challenge Cup finalist) and Steve Rozbora (1945 ASL MVP and triple crown winner). Digging deeper leads us to the likes of Chuck Tengler (Cleveland’s perennial goalkeeper throughout the 1940’s), John Bryndza, and George “Beef” Davis (contemporary ASL goalkeepers in the 1930’s and 40’s).

On the women’s side, early collegiate stars included Heather Taggart, Karen Richter, and Lori Kats (the first All-American goalkeeper in women’s soccer). And then looking outside the box a bit, American soccer history must recognize Karen Bardsley, who was born in the US but went on to be the number one goalkeeper for England’s national team. Inversely, the NASL’s Paul Hammond was born in England but naturalized, allowing him to play for Team America in 1983.

For overlooked stars on the men’s side at the same time, we have highly acclaimed goalkeepers Randy Phillips (3x All-American 1978-80), Jamie Swanner (1983 NCAA GOTY), and Victor Nogueira (2011 Indoor Soccer HOF inductee) paving the way for MLS stalwarts like Scott Garlick, Adin Brown, and Matt Jordan. And of course, rising stars like Angelina Anderson and Jordan Silkowitz follow in the footsteps of Bella Bixby and Melissa Moore as they continue to carve out a career for themselves. From Nogueira to Anderson, each goalkeeper battled year-to-year uncertainty when navigating the professional scene yet persevered in net, showcasing their talent for whichever team was lucky enough to have them.

And lastly, some goalkeepers just didn’t get enough time for one reason or another, despite showcasing an immense level of skill. From Frank Bartkus (1936 Olympics) to Orlando Jorge (1950’s ASL standout) to Mark Dulle (1987 U16) to Phil Marfuggi (2003 U17) to Katie Meyer (2019 NCAA Champion), each goalkeeper - and several not named - is remembered fondly by those who were close to the individual, by teammates and family members alike.

The more you dig into the country’s history of goalkeeping, the more amazing stories and people you can find. A career in soccer has long been a difficult pathway for most of our country’s history. Whether it was the Soccer Wars in the 1920s, the dark times between stable professional leagues, or the early attempts at professional women’s soccer, goalkeepers continued their personal journey of stepping between the posts and playing the position most people avoid like the plague. This list of 100 goalkeepers and a handful of honorable mentions only scratches the surface of a deeper history that has always been the backbone of American soccer. Look at any accomplishment in American soccer and you’ll find great goalkeeping nearby.

Main Page
Goalkeepers 1-10
Goalkeepers 11-20
Goalkeepers 21-30
Goalkeepers 31-40
Goalkeepers 41-50
Goalkeepers 51-60
Goalkeepers 61-70
Goalkeepers 71-80
Goalkeepers 81-90
Goalkeeper 91-100
Honorable Mentions

America's 100 Greatest Goalkeepers (91-100)

Bill Reno February 12, 2026

These goalkeepers are part of a bigger project, which you can find here. Pictures of the goalkeepers were posted when available. Newspaper clippings’ date and newspaper are found in the file name. Click on the photo galleries to enlarge the picture to read more about the goalkeeper.

91. Ray Voltz

It’s not often a 20 year old goalkeeper suits up for the US, but Ray Voltz wasn’t your average goalkeeper. After being in the professional league for just a year, Voltz quickly established himself as one of the top goalkeepers not only in the American Soccer League, but the US as a whole. In 1937, the US called on 43 potential players to later trim down to a small squad for a three-game series against Mexico. Voltz was selected, being picked over other notable goalkeepers like Stanley Chesney and Frank Bartkus, but the trip ended up in disaster, with three blowout losses for the US as the Americans were clearly a level (or two) below the Mexican team at the time.

Unbeknownst to Voltz at the time, these would be the last matches for the US for ten years, not playing again until 1947. Despite the federation’s disappearance, Voltz returned to Philadelphia to keep playing with Philadelphia Passon, shining brightly before joining the Philadelphia German-Americans in 1939. Before stepping away at the age of just 26 years old to join the war, Voltz had racked up two Lewis Cups and an ASL championship, as well as deep National Challenge Cup runs in ‘42 and ‘43.

Although Voltz never got a chance to redeem his time with the national team and his club career was cut short due to the war, Voltz was a top goalkeeper in the country and a significant “what if” story for an emerging goalkeeper in the league.

93. Gino Gardassanich

Thinking of today’s youth goalkeepers’ pathway to reaching the USMNT, the discussion often does not include being born in Flume (a former independent state that is now a part of Croatia), saving people from the SS when Nazi Germany occupied his hometown, and playing for a decade before ever setting foot in the US. But Gino Gardassanich’s pathway was not like most other kids’.

After playing several years across Europe, an eventual marriage led to his move and, reportedly, earned his citizenship with the US without Gardassanich even knowing he had obtained it. Gardassanich joined the Chicago Slovaks in 1949 and was promptly named to the 1950 World Cup roster as a replacement when fellow Chicago goalkeeper Joe Silovsky stepped down. Although Gardassanich never played for the USMNT, he would go on to have a successful ten-year run with the Slovaks in the hotbed of Chicago, winning the National Soccer League’s top goalkeeper award in 1950, three league titles (1951, 52, and 54), the 1951 Peel Cup, and was a finalist in the 1953 National Amateur Cup. Gardassanich’s time with the national team was brief, but his winding road is a testament to the goalkeeper’s great composure and positioning, not letting his hardships prevent him from being at the right place at the right time.

93. Victor Gerley

In 2015, I interviewed Gerley when I realized there was nearly zero information on the goalkeeper available online. The interview was originally published on Soccer Over There (RIP) but like most things in American soccer, it too has gone the way of the dodo. But Gerley embodies a lot about the time he grew up. Gerley played on local semi-professional clubs but never got a shot in the NASL, all the while the federation was largely spinning its wheels in mud. Despite the lack of professional opportunities or decent backing from the federation, Gerley and the US almost slipped past Mexico in the 1966 World Cup qualifying but a controversial penalty was called in the US’s home game against the heated rival, leading to a tie and still being a thorn in Gerley’s side later in life. “So I just brushed him, barely touched him. And he fell to the ground, faking it. Faking it! And the referee gave a penalty kick, which I didn’t save. I should have saved but I didn’t. It would have been wonderful to make it to England.”

Like most goalkeepers in the era, Gerley wouldn’t get another shot at playing in such a high-profile game for the USMNT, despite continuing to play for many years after. Unsurprisingly, Gerley was a talented multi-sport athlete as his skillset translated well to handball, leading him to represent the US one more time, in the 1970 World Championship in France. Although Gerley’s career is filled with “what ifs,” Gerley shone bright in the limited opportunities the late 60’s and early 70’s.

94. William Yarbrough

The pathway to the national team has never been a straight shot. For some, they attend a prestigious university or a heralded European club overseas, while Yarbrough is one of the few American goalkeepers to first find success in Mexico, before playing professionally in the US. Yarbrough played almost a decade for Leon, capturing several titles from 2011-2014 for the club, earning the nickname “White Puma”, as well as a call-up by Jurgen Klinsmann in 2015. Yarbrough’s swapping from Mexico, where he played with their youth national teams, marked the start of a bigger wave of Mexican-Americans who would be highly sought after by both nations. Yarbrough earned three caps with the national team and eventually joined the Colorado Rapids for a four-year stint, with the high point being runner-up in the league table in 2021. Looking back to goalkeepers from a hundred years ago, when the sport was still in its infancy in the US, Yarbrough’s career is a strong reminder that American goalkeeping can include those who weren’t born in the US but were still willing to dive into the fray for their team and country.

95. Jack “Chick” Albion

Like most top goalkeepers in the early 20th century, Albion’s fame was heavily tied to his performances in the National Challenge Cup. A three-time finalist (1916-1918), Albion won the cup twice with Fall River Rovers (1917, 1918). After winning his first final in 1917, The Evening Herald praised Albion’s performance after playing “a wonderful game and three of his six stops were spectacular and seemingly beyond the realm of possibility”. Although Albion reached the American Cup semifinals twice (1916, 1921) and showed well in his lone season with Morse Dry Dock, notching another semifinal appearance in the National Challenge Cup (1919), his “sensational goaltending” (The Standard Times, July 22, 1921) against the talented Scottish side, Third Lanarks, earned him the right to being a part of “the best team in the States today”. Albion’s ability to hold the Third Lanarks to a 2-2 tie broke a 24-game win streak during their summer tour.

In the spring of 1922, Albion became severely ill with stomach trouble. A match was organized by Albion’s former teammates, raising $425 ($8168 in 2025) for Albion. The star goalkeeper had his gratitude published in the Evening Herald. Albion wrote, “I want especially to thank my former teammates, Connie Lynch and Martin Riley, who worked so diligently to put this benefit across. Both of these men have won my lifelong admiration and have certainly given me the greatest of aid through their kindness and sympathy for me in my trouble… Thanking everybody again for their brilliant testimonial. I remain yours in sport, ‘Chick’ Albion”.

Although Albion would not suit back up to play in goal, except for the occasional Old Timers game, Albion’s strong connection with his teammates resonates with every goalkeeper who has had a defender clear a shot off the line, make a perfectly timed tackle, or help them get out of the mud after an opposing shot found the back of the net.

96. Marianne Johnson

Although Title IX was signed into effect in 1972, it would be almost a decade before NCAA women’s soccer would see a fraction of today’s level of investment. Marianne Johnson would join goalkeepers such as Lori Kats, Karen Richter, and Joan Schockow as early pioneers to navigating the position without any blueprint to look to. No YouTube, female goalkeeper coaches, or former goalkeeping teammates could really help goalkeepers like Marianne Johnson, because they hadn’t existed yet. Johnson’s reign at UNC was short, playing only two years before graduating, but impactful.

While UNC goalkeepers would later split time or get overlooked when it came to postseason accolades, Johnson really shined for the Tar Heels, winning second-team All-American honors in back-to-back years and established herself as the starting goalkeeper as a first year, earning praise from Dorrance himself saying that “She’s awesome” and “I venture to say she’s the best goalkeeper in America.”

Although there was no professional scene, nor a national team around in 1983, Johnson’s final year with UNC, Johnson stood tall despite having nearly zero hints as to how to play the position and truly embraced the DIY aspects of goalkeeping to its fullest.

97. Johnny Reder

Reder (right) with Boston Red Sox teamtes Earl Webb (left) and Marty McManus (central).

As the debate on specialization vs. multi-sport rages on in 2026, it’s nothing new, as Johnny Reder faced this problem 100 years ago. Like many American goalkeepers, Reder was praised in a losing effort during the 1929 National Challenge Cup before joining Fall River FC later in the year, starting a three-year stretch where the defensive standout won six trophies. With no goalkeeper coming near his exploits at the time, Reder put his boots in the backseat at just 23 years old, favoring his glove and bat.

Reder joined the Boston Red Sox in 1932 as the American Soccer League started waning in money and investment. Reder’s abilities carried over well and helped him become a defensive standout, although his offensive contributions at the plate limited his ability to find success at the top level. Still, the multi-sport standout continued earning praise for his work with his new leather glove. Although many can weigh in on the debate for specialization, Reder is a good reminder that everyone’s pathway is a little different, and that ultimately only the individual can make the hard decisions of where and when they should dive into the dirt.

98. Mark Dougherty

For a generation that grew up on the glitz and glamor of the NASL, it seems criminal that those players had to navigate an era without a fully professional league to aspire to, not to mention their alma mater shutting down their soccer team not long after their college graduation. Mark Dougherty was a standout player at Fresno State (a top four school from 1986-1987) and successfully navigated the wild wild west of post-NASL but pre-MLS years. After appearing in the WSL/APSL final three years in a row with the San Francisco Bay Blackhawks (1989-1991), Dougherty was rewarded as a first-round pick in the 1996 MLS inaugural draft. (The second goalkeeper selected in the draft? Fellow Fresno State alum, David Kramer.) In spite of Dougherty’s first MLS team eventually closing its doors, Dougherty’s pathway is a great testament to individual determination and a reminder that just because a team doesn’t suit up anymore, it doesn’t mean their players weren’t willing to test their mettle as far as it could go.

99. Bob Yingling

Yingling was an accomplished multi-sport athlete at Memorial High School, playing soccer, baseball, and football, but his kicking prowess was of note throughout his long career. Known for his incredibly long punts, Yingling enjoyed an illustrious 18-year career in the American Soccer League, playing for clubs like Kearny Scots (‘41 ASL Champions), Brookhattan (‘43 ASL runner-up), New York Americans (‘47 USOC quarterfinalist), Philadelphia Americans (‘52 ASL Champions), and Uhrik Truckers (‘55 ASL and Lewis Cup champions). The extended tenure for the goalkeeping mercenary culminated in a near triple crown with the Truckers, losing in the semifinal of the National Challenge Cup to the eventual winners, SC Eintracht.

The truest and best definition of a professional journeyman, Yingling credited an early supporter for a significant impact on his career, “Ed [Carroll] was athletic director at Memorial [High School] when I played football there. It was during the depression and it was difficult getting sports equipment but Ed always made certain his athletes had enough to keep going. Only for that I probably never would have developed as much as I did.”

100. Johnny Hamm

If there’s one attribute that has been consistent in American goalkeeping, it’s being a notable shot-stopper, and Johnny Hamm was no exception. The St. Louisan spent time with Ben Millers, reaching the National Challenge Cup semifinal in 1931, and established himself as a strong point in the team. Throughout his career, Hamm was frequently cited as being a part of “an airtight defense” (St. Louis Globe-Democrat, March 8, 1931) and being the team’s “brilliant goaltender” (St. Louis Globe-Democrat, March 26, 1928). Multiple times, Hamm and his team would be subject to a pummeling, but writers would defend his play as a reason why the scoreline wasn’t worse, crediting his outstanding play.

From 1932 to 1937, St. Louis established itself as a top soccer city in the nation as one of its clubs were featured in the final of the National Challenge Cup each year, with Hamm reaching the final three years straight (1935-37). Hamm would later be enshrined in the St. Louis Soccer Hall of Fame in 1973 as one of the first goalkeepers inducted, two years before Frank Borghi’s induction, establishing Hamm’s early important on the St. Louis scene. Hamm is remembered for his strong defensive play in goal, being the “best-looking man on the team”, and an early pioneer in a long line of strong goalkeepers coming out of St. Louis.