Fabio Capello, one of the most successful Italian coaches in history, has described the Azzurri’s failure to reach the World Cup for a third successive time as a “shame and a sporting tragedy”.

Italy were beaten on penalties by Bosnia-Herzegovina after a 1-1 draw in their play-off final. It was a chastening night for Gennaro Gattuso’s side with the post-mortem fully underway this morning with fans, pundits and politicians all having their say.

And Capello, who won Serie A five times as a coach and four times as a player before stints in charge of Real Madrid and England, could not hide his anger.

Speaking to Marca, he said: “I haven’t been able to sleep all night, I still can’t believe what has happened.

“We are talking about a four-time world champion team… this is a sporting tragedy, a shame. It’s one of the worst things that has happened to Italian football in its recent history. 

“Italy is in mourning. For such a football country, staying out for the third time is something very hard to assimilate.”

No-one resigns, and that the most worrying thing – Capello

Capello is not alone in blaming structural failures in Italian football with the national team’s woes compounded by no Serie A side reaching the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

Italian Football Federation chief Gabriele Gravina has come in for widespread criticism but refused to stand down last night, although his future will be determined by a meeting of the FIGC Council next week.

“No-one resigns here, and that’s the most worrying thing,” raged Capello. “The first to assume responsibility is the president of the federation, along with the entire top management. 

“We have to sit down as experts, analyse what is happening and start a reconstruction from the base. The problem is not only the results, it is structural.

“It will be very difficult to get up from this, but I trust that it will serve to start a true renewal. Italy needs to reinvent itself.”

Italy second best for long periods

The Azzurri were favourites to end a 12-year absence from the finals after beating Northern Ireland in the semi-finals, and Moise Kean’s 15th-minute opener seemingly put them on course for a trip to North America this summer.

But, in truth, Italy were second-best for long periods, and their task was made even harder by Alessandro Bastoni’s red card in the 41st minute.

Bosnia took advantage when Haris Tabaković levelled 11 minutes from the end of normal time and, though Italy held on for extra time and had the better of the additional half hour, it was the hosts who held their nerve in the shootout.

Pio Esposito blazed the first penalty over and, after Bryan Cristante cracked the crossbar with Italy’s third attempt, Esmir Bajraktarevic snuck Bosnia’s fourth under Gianluigi Donnarumma to send Bosnia to their second World Cup as an independent nation.

Gravina – FIGA not solely to blame for Italy’s failure

Gravina appeared in front of the media after the game and claimed there were issues in Italian football that went well beyond the federation.

He said: “The crisis is deep, [Italian] football needs to be redesigned. The FIGC is being talked about as if it were the only player, when, in fact, the federation is the unifying force. 

“There are the leagues, there are the clubs. This is why we need a broader reflection in order to change things. We know we’re in a moment of great crisis, which requires a comprehensive reflection that isn’t just the responsibility of the federation.”

Gattuso remains in post but he is likely to depart over the coming days.