THE PLAYERS of the Italian national team asked for bonuses should they qualify for the World Cup.
That is according to Italian outlet La Repubblica , who claimed the stars tried their luck ahead of their World Cup Qualifier Play-off final last week.
Italy players demanded a bonus shortly before their shock defeat to BosniaCredit: Getty
Italy boss Gennaro Gattuso, who has since resigned, talked the team out of their demandCredit: AP
They said that players were looking for around €10,000 (£8,730) each should they make it to their first World Cup in 12 years.
That bounty would have racked up to $300,000 (£260,000) across the squad.
Manager Gennaro Gattuso was said to have talked the team out of the demand, or at least convinced them to revisit it once qualification had actually been achieved.
And that decision proved to be the correct one to save Italy even more blushes, after against minnows Bosnia last Tuesday.
took an early lead in the contest through former man .
But a red card for ‘s just before half time left the visitors a man down as they tried to hold onto their lead.
They made a valiant go of things, but a scrappy finish from Haris Tabakovic in the 79th minute made it all square and took the game to extra time.
The pair could not be separated in the extra period, and it was Bosnia who came out on top after penalties following misses from Pio Esposito and .
Gattuso , reportedly against the wishes of his players.
And in another blow to the nation, their role as co-hosts of the 2032 is now also in the balance.
chief Aleksander Ceferin warned the country that if they do not update their facilities.
He slammed the country’s infrastructure and said that stadium upgrades had to be made or they could face being stripped of their role as hosts.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
I'm dedicated to creating high-quality content that informs, inspires, and delights. If you have any questions or suggestions, don't hesitate to get in touch. Happy reading!
