Gennaro Gattuso has departed from his position as Italy’s head coach by mutual agreement and “with pain in his heart” as the nation seeks to rebuild following its recent failure to qualify for a World Cup.
The Azzurri faced a penalty shootout loss to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the playoff final on Tuesday in Zenica, which led to the resignation of both Italian Football Federation (FIGC) president Gabriele Gravina and delegation head Gianluigi Buffon, the former Juventus goalkeeper, the following day.
Gattuso, 48, made the decision to resign on Friday after taking accountability for Italy finishing second in their qualifying group, six points behind Norway. This outcome resulted in a successful first playoff round against Northern Ireland but culminated in the decisive match in Bosnia.
The ex-coach of Valencia, Marseille, and Hajduk Split stated on the FIGC website: “With pain in my heart, having failed to meet the objective we set for ourselves, I am concluding my time as national team coach.”
“The blue shirt is the most unique one in football, and for that reason, I must leave it in the hands of a new technical team as we move forward.”
“I want to express my gratitude to president Gravina and Buffon, as well as everyone I have collaborated with at the federation, for their trust and support throughout. It was a privilege to lead the national team, and I did so with a group of players who consistently demonstrated determination and commitment to the shirt. The greatest thanks go to the fans and all Italians who continued to support us, even during these recent months.”
The former AC Milan and Rangers midfielder took over from Luciano Spalletti, who had replaced Euro 2020 champion Roberto Mancini in 2023, just two matches into the qualifying campaign.
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Having also missed out on Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022, four-time champions Italy are the first former winners to fail to qualify for three consecutive World Cups.
Gravina, 72, has held the top position within the FIGC since October 2018, and an election to select his successor as president is scheduled for Monday, June 22 in Rome.
Former Juve and Parma goalkeeper Buffon, who was part of the World Cup-winning team in 2006, expressed on Instagram in Italian that he believed it was “an act of responsibility” to follow Gravina’s lead and resign from his role with the national team.
The 48-year-old remarked: “The primary goal was to return Italy to the World Cup. And we did not achieve that.”
