Patrick and Neel break down every major story from the final World Cup qualifying matches, from Italy's shocking third consecutive absence to Iraq's remarkable 21-game journey to qualification. They cover all the European playoffs and Inter-Confederation ties, analyzing what went wrong, what went right, and which teams to watch at the tournament.

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Timestamps:

0:00 — Intro & welcome back

1:03 — Italy miss a third consecutive World Cup: Bosnia & Herzegovina upset breakdown

2:00 — Spalletti vs. Gattuso: was the coaching change a mistake?

5:12 — Italy's three failed qualifying cycles (2018, 2022, 2026) compared

7:42 — Italy's talent problem isn't the players: it's the approach

11:13 — Italy's path was there: what could have been

13:35 — Curaçao, Italy's kit envy, and the Serie A talent debate

16:28 — Iraq vs. Bolivia: altitude merchants meet a defensive wall

17:02 — Bolivia's El Alto home advantage explained

19:30 — Bolivia's defensive collapse and Iraq's incredible qualifying journey

21:02 — Graham Arnold's Iraq: a solid collective built to grind

22:58 — 899 total World Cup qualifying matches this cycle

24:40 — DR Congo back at the World Cup for the first time since 1974 (as Zaire)

25:50 — Jamaica's playoff implosion: why did Steve McLaren resign so early?

29:14 — Reviewing the European playoffs

29:35 — Turkey as dark horses? Guler, Yildiz, and Montella's system

32:29 — Kosovo's impressive run and what's next for them

33:34 — Sweden sneak through via Nations League: robbery or deserved?

34:22 — Poland's aging generation and the Lewandowski era winding down

38:13 — Czechia vs. Denmark: Pavel Sulc's standout performance

39:25 — Denmark's playoff heartbreak on penalties

Episode Notes

Episode Notes

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