Italy will miss the World Cup for the first time since 1958, an astounding development in an autumn full of qualifying failures.
The Netherlands, United States, Ghana and now Italy, a four-time champion and a pillar of soccer for almost a century, all will be absent from the 2018 tournament.
Amid boos and whistles Monday in Milan, the Italians were ousted by Sweden, which repelled a second-half deluge for a 0-0 draw in the second leg of a two-game playoff to secure a 1-0 aggregate victory in the World Cup qualifier.
In the fifth minute of stoppage time, with San Siro stadium begging and pleading for a goal to force an extra 30 minutes, Alessandro Florenzi kissed the ball repeatedly as he prepared to take a corner kick.