Players from both teams slumped to the ground, the Swedes in exhausted ecstasy, the Italians in losers’ agony.
On a starry night in Milan, four-time champion Italy failed to qualify for the World Cup for the first time in six decades. Sweden advanced for the first time since 2006.
It would be easy to lay the blame squarely on Gian Piero Ventura. The Italy coach will naturally take the lion’s share, but the Azzurri’s problems run much deeper.
The rot started long before Ventura took charge.
After winning the World Cup in 2006 for a fourth time, Italy went out at the group stage of the next two editions. They fared somewhat better at the European Championship, reaching the final in 2012 and quarter final elimination in 2008 and 2016.
However, Antonio Conte’s Italy side overachieved in France last year, when they surprisingly beat Spain in the round of 16 before losing on penalties to world champion Germany.
For a long time, Italy have lacked a creative force, successors to Andrea Pirlo and Francesco Totti of the 2006 side who could change a match with one moment of magic.
Mario Balotelli was the star of Euro 2012 but fell out of favour after Italy’s woeful showing at the last World Cup.
The lack of stars in the Italy team is reflected in the Italian league.
Juventus have been a force to be reckoned with in recent years in Europe, where they has reached two out of the past three Champions League finals. But while their defence forms the backbone of the Italy team, their midfield and attack are made up mainly of foreign players.
And age has finally caught up with Italy.
Retiring goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon is 39, Daniele De Rossi 34 and defender Andrea Barzagli 36.
Italy will have to go forward without several of its most experienced players. De Rossi also announced he was retiring after the play-off, as did Barzagli.
Now it is time for others to pick up the mantle.
