Why Gianluigi Donnarumma is missing the World Cup despite starring for Manchester City
Gianluigi Donnarumma is now Manchester City’s first-choice goalkeeper.
He competes at the highest level of club football, helping Pep Guardiola’s side in the Premier League and European competitions.
Yet, he will miss another World Cup.
How Italy failed to qualify
Italy’s 2026 World Cup hopes ended in a playoff final against Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team:
- Italy drew 1–1 after extra time.
- The match went to a penalty shootout, where Italy lost 4–1.
- This defeat officially ended Italy’s qualification for the 2026 tournament.
This marks the third consecutive World Cup Italy will miss (2018, 2022, 2026).
Donnarumma’s contrasting career
Despite international disappointment, Donnarumma has thrived at club level:
- Joined Manchester City in September 2025, replacing Ederson as first-choice goalkeeper
- Previously starred for Paris Saint-Germain
- Won UEFA Euro 2020 Player of the Tournament with Italy
The contrast is stark: a goalkeeper at the top of European football, yet absent from football’s most prestigious international stage.
What’s next for Donnarumma
His next World Cup opportunity depends entirely on Italy qualifying in the next cycle.
Other football-crazy nations that will miss the FIFA World Cup 2026
- Nigeria
- Denmark
- Poland.
Meanwhile, Donnarumma continues to shine for Manchester City, keeping clean sheets and competing for top European honours. On Saturday, he was benched as City beat Liverpool 4-0 in the FA Cup Quarter-finals.
Despite missing football’s biggest stage, his club career shows he remains among the world’s elite goalkeepers.
Bottom line: Donnarumma is one of football’s top goalkeepers, excelling at club level. Italy’s repeated World Cup qualification failures mean he continues to miss the global stage, a sharp contrast to his rising status in European football.