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Mamma Mia! It appears we have a massive scandal involving the Italian national soccer team ahead of its pivotal playoff game with Bosnia and Herzegovina for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The two sides will meet on Tuesday in Zenica, with the winner set to qualify for this summer’s World Cup in North America and the loser stuck watching from home.
Four-time champion Italy advanced to this stage with a 2-0 win over Northern Ireland in the previous round, while Bosnia defeated Wales on penalties.
But now it appears that the Italians may be looking for every advantage possible ahead of the match.
Soldier Caught Videotaping Bosnia Practice Ahead Of Italy’s World Cup Playoff Match
Bosnia and Herzegovina’s soccer governing body has accused an Italian soldier from the European Union Force in Bosnia of spying on a recent training session ahead of the match between the two teams.
Reports suggest the soldier was seen standing behind a fence near Bosnia’s training ground and holding a small camera to film the practice session.
Sportsport.BA reports that the filming was a “direct attempt” from the Italian national team to get intel on Bosnia’s tactics. Despite its previous success, Italy has not qualified for the World Cup since 2014 in Brazil, missing out on both the 2018 event in Russia and the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
🚨💣 SHOCKING SPY SCANDAL 😳🇧🇦🇮🇹
Bosnia have revealed an Italian “UN spy” disguised as a European Union soldier was caught filming their tactical training session — just hours before their crucial World Cup playoff!
Bosnia’s coaching staff spotted the man in a military jacket… pic.twitter.com/2BF3fnbKNH
— Topskills Sports UK (@topskillsportuk) March 30, 2026
The Bosnian football association reportedly filed a complaint to the EUFOR (European Union Forces) unit in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
However, the team’s training ground in Butmir apparently lacks any real protection, with only a small metal fence serving as a barrier between the players and the public.
A picture of a man wearing a camouflage jacket is going viral on social media. However, there is no firm evidence to this point connecting him to the Italian national team or manager Gennaro Gattuso’s staff.