North Macedonia shock Italy, leave them out of the 2022 World Cup: Funniest memes and reactions

North Macedonia have pulled off a massive shock by stunning Italy in stoppage time to leave them out of the race for aWorld Cup berth.Take a look at the funniest memes and reactions.

Updated on March 24, 2022 11:59PM EDT

**© Jonathan Moscrop/Getty Images**Shocking scenes in Italy as North Macedonia left the hosts with no 2022 World Cup.

It’s happened again. Italy will miss their second consecutive FIFA World Cup as North Macedonia claimed a dramatic win to advance to the final of the UEFA qualifying playoffs for Qatar 2022.

Aleksandar Trajkovski stunned the hosts with a 92nd minute winner to leavethe Azzurri empty-handed and set up a meeting withPortugal for a place in the long-awaited tournament. It’s been the first time Italy have lost a World Cup qualifier at homeand it came in the worst possible moment.

Roberto Mancini‘s men, who have claimed continental glory in the Euro 2020just a few months ago, had to take part in the playoffs after failing to finish atop Group C. Now, they’ll have to wait for at least another four years to return to the World Cup.

North Macedonia’s shocking win sees Italy miss second straight World Cup: Best memes and reactions

If missing out on a 2018 Russia World Cup berth was painful enough for Italy, let alone failing to qualify for the following World Cup as well. Check out the best memes and reactions to one of the biggest upsets of all time:

Italy form after winning the euro pic.twitter.com/5WpIp2C56F

— Seka �� (@ahmedefc98) March 24, 2022

Just look at Italy �� I thought it was just gonna be a walk in a park for them. pic.twitter.com/YIaYDSCMno

— Silent Night (@snintelligence) March 24, 2022

Italy not qualifying for two successive World Cups but winning the Euros in between #WorldCup2022 pic.twitter.com/dXlkNLCiOD

— Paul Early (@Paul_Early) March 24, 2022

Italy about to miss the world cup again #EuropeanPlayOffs pic.twitter.com/fzBbnQbieg

— droopy �� (@iankariuki16) March 24, 2022

#7 preparing for North Macedonia after avoiding Italy pic.twitter.com/c3woSFw9CE

— Ors�� (@deoors) March 24, 2022

The Portugal team preparing to play North Macedonia for a place at the 2022 World Cup: pic.twitter.com/bIdli8fX6U

— ✨�� DaddyMO��✨�� (@therealdaddymo1) March 24, 2022

Great win from North Macedonia pic.twitter.com/RpNS8ntVJf

— TJwood (@cfcTJwood) March 24, 2022

North Macedonia ��says no https://t.co/BQTHCaRxJd pic.twitter.com/Kz24vdGjUY

— mark (@markjamess13) March 24, 2022

Martín O’Donnell

Martin O'Donnell is a bilingual sports writer fluent in English and Spanish, currently serving as the Managing Editor of Bolavip. He began his journey with the website in February 2021, making a name for himself through comprehensive coverage of multiple sports, including NFL and soccer, with a specialty in original content and real-time reporting of major events such as the World Cup, UEFA Champions League finals, and the Super Bowl. In June 2024, Martin took on the role of Subeditor, where he excelled in overseeing the publication of stories, assisting staff writers, and ensuring content quality. His prior experience includes managing social media for CONMEBOL Libertadores and Sudamericana in English and Spanish, as well as reporting on Brazilian football for Sambafoot. Known for his meticulous attention to detail and ability to capture breaking news, Martin has consistently been a valuable asset to the Bolavip team, especially during crucial sports seasons involving trades, playoffs, and finals. Now, as the Managing Editor since May 2025, Martin brings his extensive experience and keen editorial sense to lead Bolavip’s team, driving the website's growth and ensuring it remains a top source for sports news and analysis with interviews and exclusive content.