Football has lost its status as the most popular sport in Italy, dropping to second place. Recent statistics indicate that 1,162,477 people now play tennis and padel, surpassing the 1,123,045 individuals currently involved in football. This decline follows a difficult period for the national team, which has failed to qualify for the last three FIFA World Cups. This trend marks a significant shift from the 1990s, an era often described as the golden age of Italian football, when the absence of the national team from major tournaments was considered practically impossible.