Italy's National Team in Turmoil as Manager Gattuso and Federation President Gravina Resign

Gennaro Gattuso Steps Down

According to Главком: Gennaro Gattuso has left his role as head coach of the Italian national team by mutual consent. He took charge in June 2023 with the primary objective of securing qualification for the 2026 World Cup. His contract followed a 1+2 year structure, but neither party will incur financial penalties from its early termination.

This departure underscores a period of deep crisis for the four-time world champions. Italy has now failed to qualify for the World Cup for three consecutive tournaments. The team last participated in the prestigious competition in 2014. During the 2018 qualification campaign, they finished second behind Spain in their group but were then eliminated by Sweden in the playoffs, losing 1-0 in the first leg and drawing 0-0 in the return. In the 2022 qualifiers, they again finished second in their group, this time behind France, and suffered a shocking 1-0 playoff defeat to North Macedonia.

Leadership Overhaul

In a further shake-up, Italian Football Federation (FIGC) President Gabriele Gravina has also resigned. This move signals a comprehensive leadership change at the top of the national game. An election for a new federation president has been scheduled for June 22.

The federation now faces the critical task of appointing a new head coach. Among the leading candidates being considered for the vacant position are:

• Antonio Conte
• Massimiliano Allegri
• Roberto Mancini

These managers all possess significant high-level experience and are seen as potential candidates to restore Italy's prestige on the international stage. The dual resignations of Gattuso and Gravina point to the serious systemic issues confronting Italian football, particularly in international competition. With its rich footballing history, Italy now finds itself at a crossroads, requiring a fundamental strategic rethink for the national team. The upcoming choices for both coach and federation president will be a decisive step in the quest to return the Azzurri to their former glory and to the World Cup finals.

The recent resignations of Gattuso and Gravina highlight the ongoing struggles within Italian football, particularly in light of the team's failures to secure World Cup qualifications. For a deeper understanding of the leadership challenges facing the Italian Football Federation, you can read more about Gravina's resignation and its implications here.