‘Last night, after the match, I cried’ - Donnarumma opens up on Italy’s failure to qualify for the World Cup

The Azzurri's hopes of reaching the tournament in North America were dashed in a dramatic play-off loss to Bosnia and Herzegovina. 

The match went to a penalty shootout, where Italy crumbled under the pressure. Donnarumma, who had a heated exchange with his Bosnian counterpart Nikola Vasilj during the shootout, was unable to save a single spot-kick. 

The loss makes Italy the first-ever former champion to miss three straight World Cups, a painful reality that has deeply affected the squad.

In a heartfelt Instagram post, Donnarumma shared his profound disappointment. "Last night, after the match, I cried," he wrote. "I cried because of the disappointment of not being able to bring Italy where it deserves to be."

"I cried because of the enormous sadness I'm feeling, along with the entire Azzurri team, of which I'm proud to be captain, and I know, right now, you, fans of our national team, are feeling too."

"Words are of little use now, it's true. But I feel something strongly inside, and I want to share it with you: after such a huge disappointment, we must find the courage to turn the page once again. And to do so requires a lot of strength, passion, and conviction."

"Always believe; this is the driving force behind moving forward," he continued. "Because life knows how to reward those who give their all without holding back. And this is where we must start again. Together. Once again. To bring Italy back where it deserves to be."

Donnarumma, who made his international debut at just 16, will now be at least 31 before he gets another chance to play on football's biggest stage.

For now, Donnarumma's focus shifts back to club duties. He will return to Manchester City to resume their title chase, with an immediate FA Cup quarter-final clash against Liverpool on Saturday.