By Mitch Phillips and Nick Mulvenney
FIFA World Cup - UEFA Qualifiers - Finals - Bosnia and Herzegovina v Italy
April 23 (Reuters) - The suggestion by an envoy of Donald Trump that Italy should replace Iran at this year's World Cup provoked embarrassment from Azzurri fans on Thursday, with Italian media reminding readers that the idea has a very familiar feel.
Paolo Zampolli, an Italian-American who is an envoy for global relations, told the Financial Times that he made the suggestion to Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
"I'm an Italian native and it would be a dream to see the Azzurri at a US-hosted tournament. With four titles, they have the pedigree to justify inclusion," said Zampolli, who has no official connection with the World Cup or Italian football.
The plan seems to be an effort to repair ties after Trump and Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni fell out amid the U.S. leader's attacks against Pope Leo XIV over the Iran war.
Italy's main sports news websites gave the story only a passing reference but politicians and officials were quick to reject the idea.
"First of all, I don't think it's possible," Italian Olympic Committee President Luciano Buonfiglio said. "Second, I'd feel offended. In order to go to the World Cup, you have to earn it".
Sports Minister Andrea Abodi echoed that, saying "it is not appropriate... You qualify on the pitch," while Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti described the concept as "shameful".
Leading Italian coach Gianni De Biasi told Reuters it was an unlikely proposal with any theoretical Iranian absence logically to be filled by the team behind them in qualifiers.
"Furthermore, I believe Italy doesn't need Trump's support on an issue like this. I think we can manage on our own," he said.
David Aganzo, president of Spain’s Association of Footballers and former head of the global players' union FIFPRO, was a little more cautious, saying: "People who want to go to the World Cup have to earn their place on sporting merit, we all agree on that, and we're going to make that clear to FIFA.
"But let's take a look at the issues involved, as there may be different perspectives or situations in this regard that we might not be aware of."
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Soccer's world governing body FIFA responded by pointing to Infantino's previous comments on Iran's participation.
"The Iranian team is coming, for sure," he told last week's CNBC Invest in America Forum: "They really want to play, and they should play. Sport should be outside politics."
ITALY MISSING THIRD SUCCESSIVE WORLD CUP
The White House, the Italian Football Federation and Asian Football Confederation did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment.
Currently there is no suggestion that Iran will withdraw or be banned from the tournament, which Italy missed out on after losing in a playoff for the third World Cup in a row.
Iran qualified for a fourth successive World Cup last year but, after the start of the war, requested that FIFA move the team's three group matches from the U.S. to Mexico - which was rejected.
Iran is seemingly proceeding as planned. "We are preparing and making arrangements for the World Cup, but we are obedient to the decisions of the authorities," Iranian football federation President Mehdi Taj told reporters at a pro-government rally in Tehran on Wednesday.
Four years ago Zampolli, when he was a United Nations ambassador, wrote to Infantino saying that "the world is demanding" that he disqualify Iran because of the country's poor human rights record and replace them with Italy.
The request was ignored as Iran took part and went out after the group stage, having lost to England and the U.S. and beaten Wales.
In the seemingly unlikely scenario of Iran being excluded, the decision on who would replace them lies in the hands of FIFA, which under Article Six of the World Cup regulations is at liberty to call up any nation it chooses.
The AFC would be expected to lobby hard for the replacement to come from Asia with the United Arab Emirates, who lost a qualifying playoff to Iraq last November, the obvious choice.
The World Cup, co-hosted by the U.S., Mexico and Canada, gets underway on June 11 with Iran scheduled to kick off their campaign against New Zealand in Los Angeles four days later.
(Reporting by Mitch Phillips, Nick Mulvenney, Carlos Méndez, Trevor Stynes, Giselda VagnoniEditing by Toby Davis, Peter Rutherford and Andrew Cawthorne)
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