Italy's national soccer team coach Luciano Spalletti says he's getting fired
Italy's soccer coach Luciano Spalletti attends a press conference at Ullevaal Stadium, Oslo, Thursday June 5, 2025, a day ahead of the World Cup qualification match against Norway. (Lise Åserud/NTB via AP)
Norway's manager Ståle Solbakken, right, and Italy's national Luciano Spalletti greet each othe rafter a World Cup qualifying soccer match against Italy, Friday, June 6, 2025, at Ullevaal Stadium in Oslo, Norway. (Cornelius Poppe/NTB Scanpix via AP)
Italy's coach Luciano Spalletti on the touchline during the qualifying World Cup soccer match between Norway and Italy at Ullevaal Stadium in Oslo, Friday June 6, 2025. (Lise Åserud/NTB via AP)
Italy's coach Luciano Spalletti on the touchline during the qualifying World Cup soccer match between Norway and Italy at Ullevaal Stadium in Oslo, Friday June 6, 2025. (Lise Åserud/NTB via AP)
Italy's soccer coach Luciano Spalletti attends a press conference at Ullevaal Stadium, Oslo, Thursday June 5, 2025, a day ahead of the World Cup qualification match against Norway. (Lise Åserud/NTB via AP)
Norway's manager Ståle Solbakken, right, and Italy's national Luciano Spalletti greet each othe rafter a World Cup qualifying soccer match against Italy, Friday, June 6, 2025, at Ullevaal Stadium in Oslo, Norway. (Cornelius Poppe/NTB Scanpix via AP)
Italy's coach Luciano Spalletti on the touchline during the qualifying World Cup soccer match between Norway and Italy at Ullevaal Stadium in Oslo, Friday June 6, 2025. (Lise Åserud/NTB via AP)
ROME (AP) — Italy's national soccer team coach Luciano Spalletti announced Sunday that he is being fired and will leave after Monday's World Cup qualifier against Moldova.
The move comes two days after Italy lost 3-0 at Norway in its opening qualifier — already raising the prospect that the Azzurri could fail for the third consecutive time to qualify for the World Cup.
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'Last night I had a conversation with the president (Italian soccer federation president Gabriele Gravina) and he told me that I would be fired,' Spalletti said in a pre-match news conference at Italy's training center. 'I didn't have any intention on (leaving) and I would have preferred to stay on. But it's a sacking and I realize that.'
___ AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
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