Italy appoint World Cup-winner Gennaro Gattuso as new head coach as Azzurri look to secure 2026 World Cup qualification
Published 15/06/2025 at 15:36 GMT+1
Gennaro Gattuso has been appointed head coach of the Italian national team following the sacking of Luciano Spalletti, who won just half of his games in charge. Gattuso, who recently left his role as manager of Croatian side Hajduk Split by mutual consent, will look to navigate his national side through World Cup qualification, with Italy missing out on the last two tournaments in 2018 and 2022.
Gattuso 'one of the worst managers in Marseille's history' - Laurens
Video credit: TNT Sports
Italy have appointed former midfielder Gennaro Gattuso as their new head coach.
The 47-year-old replaces Luciano Spalletti, who was sacked earlier this week after winning just 12 of his 24 matches in charge of the four-time world champions.
Gattuso, who was part of the Italy team that won the World Cup in 2006, recently left Hajduk Split by mutual consent, after a third-placed finish in Croatia’s top flight.
The former AC Milan player and manager takes over with Italy at risk of failing to qualify for a third successive World Cup, following their 3-0 defeat last Friday against Norway.
Despite the Azzurri playing just two games so far in qualification, Norway have won all four of their matches so far, putting them in pole position for automatic qualification.
Gattuso’s first games in charge will be qualifiers against Estonia and Israel in the September international break.
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Video credit: SNTV
In a statement on the national team’s website, FIGC President Gabriele Gravina said: "Gattuso is a symbol of Italian football.
"The Azzurri jersey is like a second skin for him. His motivation, his professionalism and his experience will be fundamental to face the next Nazionale challenges.
"Aware of the importance of the objective we want to achieve, I thank him for his availability and the total dedication with which he accepted this challenge, sharing the FIGC’s project of overall development of our football, with the Azzurri strategically at the centre."
A presentation press conference will reportedly be held in Rome on Thursday.
Gattuso, who has also managed Marseille, Valencia and Napoli in recent seasons, made 73 appearances for Italy as a player following his debut in 2000, scoring one goal for his country in that time.
Following Spalletti's sacking, the recently retired Claudio Ranieri and then Al Nassr manager Stefano Pioli were both linked to the role.
The former is widely reported to have turned down the role, while the latter is thought to be set to join Fiorentina.
Aside from victory at Euro 2020, it has been a difficult period for Italian football, having failed to qualify for the World Cup in Russia in 2018 and Qatar in 2022, before being knocked out of Euro 2024 in the last 16 by Switzerland.
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