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Why isn t Italy qualified for World Cup?
HOW DID THE WORLD CUP PLAYOFFS UNFOLD FOR ITALY? – * Italy were on course to meet Portugal in the deciding playoff tie, but they missed out on the World Cup finals after losing 1-0 at home to North Macedonia thanks to Aleksandar Trajkovski’s last-gasp strike. * North Macedonia progressed to the final, where they were beaten 2-0 by Portugal, who claimed the World Cup spot.
Could Italy still go to the World Cup?
Why aren’t Italy at World Cup 2022? –
- For the second straight World Cup, Italy simply failed to qualify for the tournament.
- The reigning Euro champions finished second in their World Cup qualifying group to Switzerland after drawing their final two games.
- Roberto Mancini’s side were plunged into the play-offs as a result and fell at the first hurdle as they suffered a shock 1-0 loss to North Macedonia in Italy.
- The defeat sent shockwaves across football with Italy never previously losing a World Cup qualifying on home soil.
- The Azzurri dominated the match against North Macedonia, taking 32 shots to five, but conceded a fatal goal in injury-time.
- Italy’s failure to qualify for the 2022 World Cup came just nine months after they won Euro 2020, beating England in a penalty shootout at Wembley in the summer of 2021.
- Remarkably, Azzurri also didn’t qualify for the 2018 World Cup after losing 1-0 to Sweden in the playoffs.
- “It hurts when I think about it, because I do still think about it and it will haunt me for the rest of my life,” Italy star Jorginho said in March about failing to qualify for the 2022 tournament.
- “Stepping up there twice and not being able to help your team and your country is something that I will carry with me forever, and it weighs on me.”
Are Italy out of the World Cup 2023?
Group G
W Wins | D Draws | L Losses | GF | GA | GD | PTS. | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sweden | 3 | 9 | 1 | 8 | 9 | ||
South Africa | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 4 | |
Italy | 1 | 2 | 3 | 8 | -5 | 3 | |
Argentina | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 | -3 | 1 |
Italy had the wiggle room it needed to advance, and for more than 90 minutes in its final game it looked like it would get through. Unfortunately for the Italians, they conceded a late goal to South Africa that ended up eliminating them from the tournament.
When was Italy not qualified for the World Cup?
Overall record
FIFA World Cup record | ||
---|---|---|
Year | Round | Position |
2014 | Group stage | 22nd |
2018 | Did not qualify | |
2022 |
Who eliminated Italy from World Cup?
World Cup roundup: Italy knocked out by North Macedonia in dramatic finale Italy missed out on the World Cup finals again after losing 1-0 at home to North Macedonia in their playoff semi-final as Aleksandar Trajkovski’s last-gasp strike earned the visitors a famous win.
- Italy did not qualify for the World Cup four years ago, missing out for the first time since 1958, but the European champions dominated from the off in Palermo.
- The hosts became more desperate in their search for a winner after the break, however, as chances continued to come and go before, in stoppage time, Trajkovski arrowed in a stunning winner to spark wild North Macedonian celebrations.
Roberto Mancini’s Italy side had 32 efforts at goal in the match but somehow fell short, with North Macedonia going on to play in the playoff final on Tuesday for a place in Qatar. “It is a huge disappointment,” the Italy midfielder Jorginho said. “It hurts, it hurts so much. João Pedro reacts after Italy’s last chance to equalise. Photograph: Antonio Calanni/AP Domenico Berardi had the best of the openings, having been presented with the ball after the North Macedonia goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski misplaced a pass, but his shot was tame, with Dimitrievski getting back to make the save.
Ciro Immobile also wasted a glorious first-half chance for Italy when blazing over the bar from a good position. Berardi was again guilty of profligacy after the break, shooting over when he should have hit the target, and with their only meaningful attack of the match North Macedonia seized their chance.
Italy did not look to be in too much danger, but Trajkovski, who plays in Saudi Arabia for Al-Fayha, wrote his name into North Macedonian football folklore with a shot that crept inside the post to stun the home fans. The Fiver: sign up and get our daily football email.
- Portugal moved into the final with a 3-1 win over Turkey, for whom Burak Yilmaz skied a penalty five minutes from full time that would have drawn the sides level.
- Roared on by a sold-out Estádio do Dragão in Porto, Portugal dominated the game from the start and went 2-0 up in the first half after Otavio scored one goal and created another for Diogo Jota before half-time.
But Fernando Santos’s side were pegged back by a Yilmaz goal in the 65th minute that put the Portuguese fans on the edge of their seats as Turkey started to threaten. José Fonte then fouled Enes Unal inside the area in the 85th minute to concede a penalty given by VAR but Yilmaz fired it high over the bar.
The Sweden substitute Robin Quaison struck in the second half of extra time to secure a 1-0 win over the Czech Republic and set up a clash away to Poland.The Czechs had an early goal ruled out for a foul and the Swedes had the lion’s share of possession for most of the playoff semi-final, but the two sides struggled to break each other down in a game full of tough tackling and wayward passing.The substitute Mattias Svanberg went closest for the Swedes in normal time, but his header from Emil Forsberg’s corner was aimed straight at the visiting goalkeeper Tomas Vaclik.The game finished scoreless after 90 minutes and appeared to be heading for penalties when Quaison danced through the middle of the defence before exchanging passes with Alexander Isak and coolly slotting home to move his side a step closer to Qatar.
: World Cup roundup: Italy knocked out by North Macedonia in dramatic finale
Did Italy not make FIFA World Cup?
HOW DID ITALY’S WORLD CUP QUALIFICATION CAMPAIGN UNFOLD? – * Italy were drawn in Group C of the UEFA World Cup qualification round along with Switzerland, Northern Ireland, Bulgaria and Lithuania. * The pressure was high on coach Roberto Mancini and the squad as Italy failed to qualify for the World Cup in Russia four years earlier.
- They started with three consecutive wins against Northern Ireland, Bulgaria and Lithuania before taking a break for the European Championships last year.
- After winning the tournament, they drew twice in a row to Bulgaria and Switzerland, before claiming a 5-0 win at home against Lithuania.
- With two games left, Italy appeared to be in pole position to secure qualification, but drew 1-1 with Switzerland to leave both teams on equal points before the last round.
* Four months after their Euro 2020 success, Italy’s 0-0 draw in Northern Ireland meant Switzerland finished top of their World Cup qualifying group after a win over Bulgaria, sending Mancini’s side to the playoffs.
How did Italy win Euro but not qualify for World Cup?
They were beaten by North Macedonia and will now play Portugal for a place at the football extravaganza in Qatar. In a major upset, European champions Italy have failed in their bid to reach the World Cup. again. They were beaten 1-0 by North Macedonia in a play-off semi-final to qualify for the tournament, which takes place in Qatar from 21 November.
Aleksandar Trajkovski scored a last-gasp goal for North Macedonia. It was North Macedonia’s only real opportunity after a completely dominant performance by Italy, which missed a number of chances and had several others saved by visiting goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski. Overall, Italy had 32 shots on goal, compared to just four for its opponent.
But, just like five years ago, at the final whistle the Italian players fell to the ground in disbelief and disappointment — with several of them in tears — as the opposition celebrated wildly. Italy also failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup after losing to Sweden in a two-legged playoff the previous November.
- Missing two straight World Cups is an unprecedented low point for the four-time champion, especially just months after winning Euro 2020.
- I’m proud of my teammates, we are all destroyed and broken but we have to start again,” Italy captain Giorgio Chiellini said.
- At the moment it’s difficult to talk about it, it will remain a great hole.
“I hope that the coach will stay because he is essential for this team. Now we have to return to winning, go to the Euros and in four years’ time return to this blessed World Cup.” But Roberto Mancini, who took over as Italy coach after the last qualifying failure, said on Thursday that the disappointment “was too great to talk about the future”.
“I feel that just as last July was the best thing I experienced at a professional level, this is the greatest disappointment,” Mancini added. North Macedonia will play Portugal on Tuesday for a spot in the tournament in Qatar after Cristiano Ronaldo’s side beat Turkey 3-1. Euro 2020 is the only major tournament North Macedonia has qualified for.
Mancini was missing a number of players that helped Italy win the European Championship last summer and had to field a makeshift defence, but it was barely troubled by North Macedonia until the very end. Italy got off to an aggressive start but struggled to find a way past the wall of red shirts.
- The Azzurri were gifted a great chance in the 30th minute after a horrendous kick from the North Macedonia goalkeeper left Domenico Berardi with an open goal but he scuffed his shot and Dimitrievski got back in time to make the save.
- Dimitrievski did better moments later when he fingertipped Ciro Immobile’s angled shot over the bar.
Italy was getting closer and Dimitrievski had to make another save, this time to palm Lorenzo Insigne’s effort around the post. North Macedonia had its first attempt on goal on the stroke of halftime when Enis Bardi threaded a ball through for Trajkovski but his effort was straight at Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Is Portugal out of World Cup 2023?
FIFA Women’s World Cup The US will likely face Sweden in the next round after finishing second in the group. The Netherlands topped the group after a 7-0 demolition of Vietnam, while Portugal were knocked out.
Was Italy in ww1?
Italy Enters World War I When World War I began in July 1914, Italy was a partner in the Triple Alliance with Germany and Austria-Hungary, but decided to remain neutral. However, a strong sentiment existed within the general population and political factions to go to war against Austria-Hungary, Italy’s historical enemy.
Annexing territory along the two countries’ frontier stretching from the Trentino region in the Alps eastward to Trieste at the northern end of the Adriatic Sea was a primary goal and would “liberate” Italian speaking populations from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, while uniting them with their cultural homeland.
During the immediate pre-war years, Italy started aligning itself closer to the Entente powers, France and Great Britain, for military and economic support. On April 26, 1915, Italy negotiated the secret Pact of London by which Great Britain and France promised to support Italy annexing the frontier lands in return for entering the war on the Entente side.
Why didn t Italy qualify?
* Italy missed out on the deciding playoff tie after a stunning 1-0 loss at home to North Macedonia thanks to Aleksandar Trajkovski’s last-gasp strike. * North Macedonia progressed to the playoff final, where they were beaten 2-0 by Portugal, who claimed the World Cup spot.
What happened to Italy soccer?
What happened to Italian football? Neither Sandro Tonali nor AC Milan wanted to part ways. The young midfielder is from the outskirts of the city, has been a fan since boyhood and his dad’s an ultra. He wanted to become a Rossoneri icon like his hero Gennaro Gattuso.
- The top brass at Milan saw him as a future captain.
- Tonali was instrumental to the club winning Serie A – Italy’s top league – last year and reaching the European Champions League semi-final two months ago.
- Milan’s legendary manager from the 1990s, Fabio Capello, says Tonali is ‘the recipe to win’ and that he could have played in ‘the great Milan teams’ from 30 years ago.
But no amount of wishful thinking could beat a £55 million offer – the highest on record for an Italian player – from Saudi-owned Newcastle, where Tonali has gone, especially when Milan is so strapped for cash. There was a time when no Serie A club would have dared to sell a player like Tonali, a time when Italian football was king.
- But many Italian clubs have weathered at least a decade of dodgy ownership.
- There has been financial mismanagement and even match-fixing scandals, and as a result the league is full of teams with mounting debts and crumbling stadiums.
- At the same time, Serie A’s competitors in Europe have become increasingly flush with television revenues and American venture capital.
In England, oil money from the Middle Eastern states has given clubs such as Manchester City and Newcastle extremely deep pockets. The rift between the top clubs in England, Spain and Germany and those fallen Italian giants is widening. And the wider it gets, the less appealing any Italian team becomes to new investment.
Italy’s biggest clubs, Juventus, Milan and Inter, are three of the most indebted teams in Europe. They owe some £2 billion between them and they receive less than half of the revenues of their English counterparts. Serie A as a whole receives only a tenth of the international television revenues as the Premier League.
International fans pay to watch the top stars who are heading to England and care little for the hollowed out teams in Italy. There has been financial mismanagement and even match-fixing scandals, and as a result Serie A is full of teams with mounting debts and crumbling stadiums As the richest clubs, the Chelseas, Manchesters and now Newcastles can choose Serie A players à la carte.
These are skilled players, such as Tonali, who have experience in the highly technical Italian league. The English clubs don’t want to buy a dud and it’s convenient for them. They can outspend the local competition knowing that the Italian clubs need the money. For Inter and Juventus the current cash cows are Nicolo Barella and Federico Chiesa.
Will they stay in Italy? It’s unlikely. Serie A produced some of the most iconic club players ever to grace the game. Alessandro Del Piero gave two decades to Juventus, becoming the club’s all-time leading goal-scorer and appearance-maker. Francesco Totti held the same records at Roma where he played for 25 years.
Fans called him the ‘Eighth King of Rome’, an honorific he took very seriously: ‘I cheated on all of my girlfriends, but I never cheated on Roma and I never will.’ At Milan, the most famous is Paolo Maldini – Il Capitano – who played more than 900 games as a tough-tackling defender between 1984 and 2009.
For him it was part of the family business. His father had been an even tougher tackling centre back and club captain in the 1950s and 1960s. Maldini’s career matched the dominant spell of Italian football. He played with three of the best squads to have ever existed.
- The top players who flocked to Italy included English talent.
- Paul Gascoigne traded a FA cup-winning Spurs for resurgent Lazio in 1992.
- David Platt went to Bari and Paul Ince went to Inter a few years later where the latter loved the ‘technicality’ of the game.
- They took English fans with them.
- Every Saturday morning three million would tune into Channel 4’s Gazzetta Football Italia to watch highlights from the best league in the world.
During the 1990s Italian teams lifted 13 European trophies – Maldini won five himself – broke the transfer record six times and had six Ballon d’Or winners, including Zidane and Ronaldo. The past decade has been a different story. No Italian team has won the Champions League since 2010 and none of their players has won the Ballon d’Or since 2007.
Maldini knows Serie A is a shadow of its former self and that financial mismanagement was the problem. Before a European cup tie in 2021, he stressed that the opposition, Manchester United, earned £400 million more than Milan. Deloitte had just financially ranked Milan below Sheffield United, who were the worst team in the Premier League that season.
Milan’s chairman lamented: ‘Nearly everyone has overtaken us Serie A has become the Serie B of Europe.’ There have been a few flashes of brilliance from the Italian teams here and there. Inter reached the final of the most recent Champions League after a great cup run, but no amount of energy on the pitch could overcome a brutally efficient Manchester City, the world’s wealthiest club.
Juventus were runners-up in 2015 and 2017, but they too lacked the cutting edge. During the 1990s Italian teams lifted 13 European trophies, broke the transfer record six times and had six Ballon d’Or winners. The past decade has been a different story The top Italian clubs can’t afford to keep their squads together for too long and are at the back of the queue for top players to replace them.
In 1984 Napoli spent a world record breaking amount to bring Maradona from Barcelona to Italy’s poorest city. Some 85,000 fans crammed into the stadium, now named after him, to get a glimpse of the best footballer on Earth. The local paper led with: ‘No mayor, houses, schools, buses, employment and sanitation, none of this matters because we have Maradona.’ Two seasons later he led the club to its first ever league title – the Scudetto – which was ‘the redemption of the city’, according to his teammate Ciro Ferrara.
But it has been a long time since Serie A has been able to attract the world’s best player in their prime. Buying cheap fading stars and talented misfits is too common a solution for indebted Serie A teams. Roma alone has given refuge to England’s Chris Smalling and Tammy Abraham. The club is also rumoured to be after Mason Greenwood, whose recent legal troubles make him too toxic for any Premier League club.
Milan has already recruited Chelsea outcasts Ruben Loftus-Cheek this summer for a third of what they’ve received for Tonali. But Serie A won’t revive its fortunes by becoming a care home for stars down on their luck. The suits in the club office claim a fresh start might turn these players into winners while they prepare the few remaining stars for sale.
But no one really believes it. The next to go will probably be their star forward, Rafael Leao, whose five-year contract means that any suitors will most likely have to pay more than £100 million: a staggering sum which will once again be spent on hoovering up fallen stars deemed too old or not good enough in England, Spain or Germany.
The names guarantee a few shirt sales, but in a few years they’ll move on or retire and the club will be back where it started. The best bet for Serie A is to spend whatever money it has on keeping its diamonds where it finds them instead of chasing fading talent.
Why did Italy not make it?
Which teams are missing from the 2022 World Cup? – Italy Italy, by far, is the biggest nation omitted from Qatar. Italy is ranked the seventh-best international squad as of FIFA’s on Aug.25. So how did it not make it? The Azzurri lost to North Macedonia 1-0 in a qualifying match after a 92nd-minute goal erased their dreams.
- It marked the second straight World Cup Italy failed to qualify for.
- Colombia One of the rising squads from South America in the last decade, Colombia finished sixth in CONMEBOL’s qualifying standings – one point behind Peru for a playoff spot and three behind Ecuador for an automatic berth.
- Colombia is the No.17-ranked nation by FIFA.
In 2018, Colombia had won its group before losing in a penalty shootout to England in the Round of 16. Sweden After a shock run in 2018 that included a trip to the quarterfinals, Sweden lost to Poland in order to qualify for a berth. That likely ends Zlatan Ibrahamović’s chances of playing in the World Cup ever again.
- Sweden is the No.20-ranked nation in the world.
- In 2018, Sweden topped a group that featured Germany and Mexico but lost 2-0 to England in the quarters.
- Peru Peru, the No.21-ranked nation right behind Sweden, lost to Australia in a qualifying playoff final via an enthralling penalty shootout.
- In 2018, Peru finished third in its group behind France and Denmark.
The only team below it? Australia. Chile Chile is another solid South American team that has lost its form the last few years. Notable players like Alexis Sanchez and Arturo Vidal are too far in their prime to continue to lead the nation, which also missed out in 2018.
In 2010 and 2014, Chile made it to the Round of 16. It is currently the No.31-ranked nation. Egypt Egypt has also been a rising nation in recent years, and it competes in Africa’s CAF. Liverpool star Mohamed Salah has headlined the Egyptian men’s team, but former club teammate Sadio Mané and Senegal eliminated it in the qualifying rounds.
In 2018, Egypt failed to win a game. Egypt is ranked No.40 in the world. Other notable nations not competing in 2022 include Ukraine (No.27), Nigeria (No.31), Russia (No.35) and Algeria (No.41), among others.
Will Italy be in the 2026 World Cup?
FIFA World Cup – Sadly, Italy’s chances are quite dim in the World Cup 2026. Previously, the national men’s team has already missed the opportunity to qualify for FIFA twice in a row (2018 and 2022). In 2022, Italy lost to world #67 North Macedonia, which was quite disconcerting.
- With Russia suspended, there’s one less competitor in the UEFA association, but that’s unlikely to be a huge boost.
- Currently, on a popular sports betting Canada platform, Italy has odds of +2000, worse than the top teams like Brazil, France, England, and Argentina but also teams like Spain, Germany, Netherlands, and Portugal.
Notably, Italy ranks #5 in goals scored after Brazil, Germany, Argentina, and France. The national team has won four FIFA World Cups (1934, 1974, 1990, and 2014), second only to Brazil with five (and sharing the position with Germany’s four). It’s not “behind” in any way.
Is Italy out of FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023?
Italy’s Giulia Dragoni, center, reacts after losing the Women’s World Cup Group G match against South Africa | Photo Credit: Alessandra Tarantino/AP Italy’s Giulia Dragoni, center, reacts after losing the Women’s World Cup Group G match against South Africa | Photo Credit: Alessandra Tarantino/AP Italy’s players dropped to their knees, buried their faces and tearfully wondered how their tournament had suddenly ended following a shocking upset to South Africa in the Women’s World Cup.
The 54th-ranked team in the world stunned Italy, ranked 16th by FIFA, with a 3-2 victory over the Italians in Wednesday’s Group G finale. South Africa won with a stoppage-time goal by Thembi Kgatlana. South Africa was ecstatic as players screamed and danced and said thankful prayers in the hallway leading to their locker room.
ALSO READ: Women’s World Cup 2023: Wiegman hails England ‘adaptabilty’ after gamble pays off The Italians left in tears and unable to explain the upset. “I really don’t know,” goalkeeper Francesca Durante said after the match. “I don’t know what didn’t work.” Nearly every player took the blame for the early elimination, even Arianna Caruso, who scored both of Italy’s goals.
- I don’t think I can find the right words in this moment,” Caruso said.
- I am not happy because we scored two goals and we didn’t do anything.” Italy’s problems against South Africa began before Wednesday night’s game: a brutal 4-0 loss to Sweden was perhaps too difficult to overcome, even with a spot in the round of 16 at stake.
“I’m sure that the game against Sweden and all the goals we conceded affected our trust, our confidence, our peace of mind,” said Italy coach Milena Bertolini. “I think it’s clear that today the emotional side was actually an important factor.” The Italians were slowed by more than their emotions.
- An own goal from Benedetta Orsi came from poor communication in the backfield and allowed South Africa to regain momentum after falling down by a goal.
- Then Italy’s inability to close out the match allowed Kgatlana to take the game away after a nice pass from Hildah Magaia.
- Put simply by Bertolini: “I think that South Africa played better than us and deserved to win.” It was Italy’s fourth Women’s World Cup, where it has twice made the quarterfinals, most recently in 2019.
The loss doesn’t destroy the future of Italian women’s football, though. The Italians fielded 16-year-old Guiliana Dragoni, one of the tournament’s youngest stars, in all three of their matches. So as difficult as the loss was, Italian women’s football could be set for a rebuild.
Is Banyana out of the World Cup?
All good things come to an end. So it proved for Banyana Banyana after their fairytale Fifa Women’s World Cup run was finally halted by the Netherlands on Sunday morning. The reigning African champions were defeated 2-0 by the 2019 runners-up. The Dutch opened the scoring from what has been South Africa’s Achilles heel throughout the tournament – set pieces.
- Banyana Banyana failed to clear their lines from a corner and the dangerous Jill Roord bundled the ball over the line.
- It was the midfielder’s fourth goal in four matches at the tournament.
- A couple of first-half injuries to key members of the team – dynamic forward Jermaine Seoposenwe and hard-nosed centre back Bambanani Mbane – hampered the team’s tactics and momentum early on.
Their injuries were partly a testament to the physical nature of the fixture, as they were probably a symptom of the effects of South Africa’s historic run into uncharted territory at the tournament. Though the South Africans had their own chances when they were not nursing injuries, particularly through the ever-lively Thembi Kgatlana, Daphne van Domselaar stood resolute in the Oranje goal.
Stopping the South Africans at every turn. Van Domselaar’s opposite number, Kaylin Swart, also had a decent match. Were it not for some impressive saves of her own in the opening stanza, the Dutch might have already wrapped up the contest by halftime. Swart, who has been under scrutiny due to Banyana Banyana coach Desiree Ellis preferring her over regular No 1 Andile Dlamini, undid all her brilliant work with an absolute howler with just over 20 minutes left to play.
The goalminder chose an unorthodox method in attempting to deal with a hopeful strike from distance by Dutch forward Lineth Beerensteyn. Thereby gifting the Europeans a second goal. “We spoke about how, to win the game, we needed to score more goals. We had a lot of opportunities.
- Especially in the first half to,
- Because we knew the quality of the Netherlands,” said Ellis.
- Our goalkeeper had a fantastic game.
- Up until that moment.
- I hope people remember her for how well she played and not that one incident,” continued Ellis.
- In the end, the legs just weren’t there for us to keep pushing for the duration of the game Losing Bambanani and Jermaine also didn’t help the way we’d set up.
But we brought a squad of 23 and those that came in as replacements did really well.” After doubling their lead, the Oranje were happy to just pass the ball amongst each other and run the clock down. The Dutch win has set up a mouthwatering quarterfinal tie against Spain. Linda Motlhalo (L) of South Africa reacts with Wendy Shongwe (R) of South Africa after missing a goal during the Fifa Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 Round of 16 match between Netherlands and South Africa at Sydney Football Stadium on 6 August 2023 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo: Andy Cheung / Getty Images) Lieke Martens of Netherlands scores her team’s second goal later disallowed due to offside during the Fifa Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 Round of 16 match between Netherlands and South Africa at Sydney Football Stadium on 6 August 2023 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo: Cameron Spencer / Getty Images) Victoria Pelova (R) of Netherlands and Wendy Shongwe (2nd R) of South Africa complete for the ball during the Fifa Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 Round of 16 match between Netherlands and South Africa at Sydney Football Stadium on 6 August 2023 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo: Andy Cheung / Getty Images)