New Delhi: Italy have appointed former midfield great Gennaro Gattuso as their new head coach following the dismissal of Luciano Spalletti from the national team. Gattuso made 73 appearances for Italy and was a member of the 2006 World Cup-winning squad.
Spalletti’s tenure lasted for less than two years and ended with a 2-0 victory over Moldova, which was his last match as Italy’s manager. He announced his departure after a 3-0 loss in Norway in Italy’s opening World Cup qualifying game.
Gattuso recently managed Hajduk Split in Croatia but parted ways with the club by mutual consent after guiding them to a third-place finish in the domestic league. Claudio Ranieri was the FIGC’s preferred candidate for the job, but he turned down the offer, opting instead to focus on his role as senior advisor at AS Roma.
Gattuso’s managerial career started in 2013 at Swiss club FC Sion, where he served briefly as player-coach, but since then, he has taken charge at many clubs, including AC Milan, Napoli, Valencia, and most recently at Olympique de Marseille. His only managerial trophy came at Napoli, where he lifted the Coppa Italia in 2020. Italy won Euro 2020 but failed to qualify for last summer’s tournament. They have also failed to qualify for the last two FIFA World Cups.
Gennaro Gattuso is the new First Team Head Coach 🇮🇹
Welcome back, Rino 👊#Azzurri #VivoAzzurro pic.twitter.com/H6oQZWJcca— Italy ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (@Azzurri_En) June 15, 2025
‘Gattuso is a symbol of Italian football’: FIGC president Gabriele Gravina
FIGC president Gabriele Gravina stated that Gattuso is a symbol of Italian football, and the shirt is like his second skin. He further added that Gattuso’s motivations, professionalism and experience will be fundamental in taking on the next challenges of the national team, and he knows the importance of Italy’s objectives.
“I thank him for his readiness and dedication in accepting this challenges. He shares the FIGC’s project of the development of our football, in which the Azzurri shirt is a central part,” Gravina said. Gattuso will be formally introduced as manager at Rome’s Parco dei Principi Hotel on Thursday.
Italy appointed their former midfielder, Gennaro Gattuso, as manager of the team, replacing the sacked Luciano Spalletti. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
