Gennaro Gattuso replaces Luciano Spalletti as new head coach of Italy's national team
Gennaro Gattuso has replaced Luciano Spalletti as the new head coach of Italy's national football team, the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) announced on Sunday. Gattuso former manager of AC Milan and Napoli, Gattuso steps in following Spalletti's sacking after a 3-0 defeat to Norway in a World Cup qualifier. The 47-year-old will be officially introduced as head coach on Thursday at Rome's Parco dei Principi hotel.
FIGC president Gabriele Gravina expressed strong support for Gattuso's appointment.
'Gattuso is a symbol of Italian football, the blue jersey is like a second skin for him,' Gravina said.
'His motivations, his professionalism, and his experience will be fundamental to best face the upcoming commitments of the National Team,' he added.
Luciano Spalletti's tenure as Italy's head coach lasted less than two years. His last match was a 2-0 victory against Moldova, which came just a day after he was informed of his dismissal due to the loss against Norway. The defeat in Oslo impacted Italy's World Cup qualifying campaign and prompted the FIGC to make a change.
Gattuso will face the crucial challenge of guiding Italy to the 2026 World Cup, hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The Azzurri have missed the last two World Cup tournaments. Gattuso, who won the Coppa Italia with Napoli in 2020, has been given a one-year contract, which will extend through the World Cup if Italy qualify.
Gattuso, the former midfielder earned 73 caps for Italy and was a key member of the 2006 World Cup-winning squad. His coaching career began in 2013 as a player-coach for Swiss club Sion. However, his stint was short with only two wins in 10 league games. Since then, he has managed nine clubs over 12 years, including AC Milan, Valencia in Spain, and Marseille in France. He parted ways with his previous club Hajduk Split by mutual consent after securing a third-place finish in the league.
Before appointing Gattuso, the FIGC had approached Claudio Ranieri for the role. However, the 73-year-old declined the offer to focus on his position as a senior adviser at Roma.
Italy, currently third in their World Cup qualifying Group I, will face Estonia in Bergamo on September 5, followed by a match against Israel in Hungary three days later. Gattuso's immediate focus will be to guide the team and improve their standing in the group to secure a spot in the 2026 World Cup.
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