Soccer-Serie A chief blames illegal streaming for Italy's decline

FILE PHOTO: The new logo of Serie A football league is displayed during an event to celebrate a deal between Eni biofuel unit Enilive and Italy's football league to sponsor the country's top championship Serie A in Rome, Italy July 3, 2024. REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane/File Photo

(Reuters) -Serie A CEO Luigi De Siervo has pointed to illegal streaming and the resulting lack of TV revenue as a factor behind Italy's struggles to nurture homegrown talent as the Azzurri strive to return to the World Cup for the first time since 2014.

Once a permanent fixture at the World Cup, four-times world champions Italy find themselves in dire straits having missed out on the last two editions and at risk of missing out on a third after losing their first qualifier against Norway.