Italy’s national team coach, Gennaro Gattuso, has stepped down from his position following the team’s failure to qualify for the World Cup for the third time in a row. The Italian soccer federation expressed gratitude towards Gattuso for his commitment and enthusiasm during his nine-month tenure.
After a heartbreaking penalty shootout loss to Bosnia and Herzegovina in a qualifying playoff, Italy’s hopes of participating in this year’s World Cup were dashed. Gattuso, expressing disappointment at not achieving their target, declared the end of his time as the national team’s coach.
Gattuso’s resignation coincided with the departure of Italy’s soccer federation president, Gabriele Gravina, and Gianluigi Buffon, who served as the national team’s delegation chief. The defeat to Bosnia added to Italy’s recent woes, having been eliminated in previous World Cup qualifiers by Sweden and North Macedonia.
Taking over from the dismissed Luciano Spalletti in June amid a struggling squad, Gattuso faced challenges early on, with a defeat against Norway in the opening qualifier. His reign followed a disappointing European Championship campaign in 2024, where Italy was knocked out in the round of 16 by Switzerland.
Italy’s federation president, Gravina, commended Gattuso for rejuvenating the team and instilling pride in the national jersey. Despite a promising six-match winning streak under Gattuso’s leadership, a crucial loss to Norway led Italy to finish second in their group, forcing them into the playoffs.
Initially contracted until the end of the upcoming World Cup, Gattuso’s tenure was expected to extend to 2028 if Italy secured a spot in the tournament. The search for Gattuso’s successor is underway, with names like Roberto Mancini, Simone Inzaghi, Antonio Conte, and Massimiliano Allegri in the mix.
Mancini, who guided Italy to the Euro 2021 title, is currently coaching at Al-Sadd in Qatar after a stint with Saudi Arabia’s national team. Inzaghi, known for leading Inter Milan to the Serie A title in 2024, now manages Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia.
Conte, who previously coached Italy at the Euro 2016, is presently at Napoli, while Allegri is at the helm of AC Milan. Despite upcoming friendly matches in June, Italy may not have a new coach by then due to the FIGC president election scheduled for June 22.