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Italy's goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon reacts during the FIFA World Cup 2018 qualification football match between Italy and Sweden at the San Siro stadium in Milan. Image Credit: AFP

Many football fans will have an empty feeling this summer.

Sure there is a World Cup going on, but it won’t feel quite right. Something will be missing.

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Some upstarts from Sweden created one of the biggest stirs in World Cup qualification history on Monday night when they held on to deny Italy their place at the top table. 

A place they believed was theirs by right.

Sixty years will have passed since the last time Italy were not present at the footballing showpiece when the action kicks off in Russia.

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Since then, we have been treated to a style and quality of play on the pitch that is unrivalled.

Franco Baresi, Paolo Maldini, Paulo Rossi, Marco Tardelli, Luigi Riva, Fabio Cannavaro, Luca Toni, Roberto Baggio ... The list of names etched in World Cup lore goes on.

This time around, there will be no magical moments by Gianluigi Buffon, Giorgio Chiellini, Danielie de Rossi or Ciro Immobile to be reminisced about. No names to be added to that list.

Rossi captured the world’s attention at Spain ’82 with his goalscoring prowess.

Even the failures — either fondly or painful with emotion — are forever in our memories. We can all remember Baggio with his hands on his hips and ponytail dangling after his penalty against Brazil sailed harmlessly over the bar at USA ’94.

A World Cup without Italy will be like Formula One without Ferrari, or a pizza without toppings. And we will all be the hungrier for that absence in Russia next summer.