June 15, (THEWILL) – Gennaro Gattuso has been appointed as Italy’s new head coach, taking charge of the national team following their disappointing start to 2026 World Cup qualification. The Italian Football Federation confirmed the 47-year-old’s appointment on Sunday, with the former AC Milan midfielder set to face the media on Thursday. Gattuso replaces Luciano Spalletti, who was dismissed after Italy’s 3-0 defeat to Norway in their opening qualifier last week.
The new coach brings considerable international experience, having earned 73 caps for Italy and played a key role in their 2006 World Cup triumph. FIGC president Gabriele Gravina praised the appointment, stating that Gattuso “is a symbol of Italian football” and that “the blue shirt is like a second skin for him.” Gravina emphasised that the coach’s motivation, professionalism and experience would be essential in achieving their World Cup qualification objective.
Italy face a significant challenge in reaching the 2026 World Cup, having failed to qualify for the previous two tournaments in Russia and Qatar. The four-time world champions suffered a humiliating play-off defeat to Sweden in 2017, missing the Russia finals, before North Macedonia eliminated them from contention for Qatar 2022. Their recent 3-0 loss to Norway has left them with ground to make up in Group I qualifying.
Gattuso’s coaching career has been characterised by mixed results since retiring as a player in 2013. His most recent role was with Croatian club Hajduk Split, where he helped them qualify for the UEFA Conference League. The former midfielder’s only major trophy came with Napoli in the 2019/2020 Italian Cup, though he has also managed Valencia and Marseille with limited success, lasting fewer than 25 matches at each club.
The national team will return to action in September with crucial Group I fixtures against Estonia and Israel. Italian media reports suggest former Italy defenders Andrea Barzagli and Leonardo Bonucci will join Gattuso’s coaching staff, whilst Cesare Prandelli is expected to take responsibility for the youth teams. The FIGC approached both Claudio Ranieri and Stefano Pioli before turning to Gattuso for the role.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
