Fury in Italy after Infantino's Joke: "With 64 Teams, Italy Would Probably Qualify"

The Italian football community has reacted with outrage to a joke made by FIFA President Gianni Infantino at the expense of the "Azzurri." In an interview with a Brazilian television channel, the head of world football's governing body quipped that Italy might qualify for the World Cup if the number of participating teams were increased to 64. This topic is a sore point in Italy, as the "Squadra Azzurra" has not participated in a World Cup since 2014.

"Let's see what happens with a 48-team format. It's a big tournament. There were discussions about 64 participants, with the goal of engaging an even larger part of the football world. It was discussed, but for now, let's enjoy this first edition. Maybe with 64 teams, Italy would qualify. We could go up to 228, let's see if we can do it," the FIFA chief stated with a smile.

Reactions from the Apennine Peninsula were swift, including one from Gaetano Amato, a Member of Parliament from the Five Star Movement: "Infantino speaks in his capacity as president of world football; he doesn't speak like a fan in a bar. His role as head of FIFA is also thanks to the Italian Football Federation – there must be balance, respect, and institutional responsibility. We are the first to be ashamed of the decline of the Italian national team and the disaster Italian football finds itself in. We don't need Infantino's cheap jokes. Mocking Italy is a display of rare pettiness from someone who should represent all of world football, including Italy. The 'Azzurri's' blunders are serious, but those of the FIFA president are even more serious."