The upheaval that has shaken the top of Italian football in recent hours is now complete: after Gabriele Gravina’s resignation and Gianluigi Buffon’s farewell, Gennaro Gattuso has now left the national team bench.
The former head coach informed the federation of his intention to step down after missing out on World Cup qualification, eliminated by Bosnia in a penalty shootout, which has become a symbol of a new sporting and institutional rift.
Italy released an official statement regarding his departure on Friday afternoon, in which Gattuso said: “With a heavy heart, having failed to achieve the goal we set ourselves, I consider my time as coach of the national team to be over.”
The decision comes at the end of days marked by mounting pressure, where sporting failure has been compounded by the rapid collapse of the entire management structure built around the national team. In just a few hours, the federation’s leadership has been wiped out: first, Gravina stepped down after discussions with the federation’s stakeholders, then Buffon decided to leave his role as head of delegation, sharing a public message filled with disappointment.
In this context, Gattuso’s position also became untenable. The technical project, which began with the aim of rebuilding spirit, identity, and competitiveness, ended without achieving its main goal: bringing Italy back to the World Cup after a long absence.
A new era
Now comes one of the most delicate decisions for the future of Italian football: choosing the next head coach at a time when the national team has missed three consecutive World Cup qualifications and must rebuild credibility, vision, and results.
The final decision on the new coach will be made by the president elected at the assembly scheduled after June 22, when the federation will have new political leadership. Meanwhile, several high-profile and experienced candidates are being discussed within the federation: among the most considered names are Massimiliano Allegri and Antonio Conte, both seen as figures who could immediately bring authority and weight to the new era.
At the same time, a temporary solution is also being considered: Silvio Baldini, current Under-21 coach, could take interim charge of the national team, at least for the summer friendlies against Luxembourg and Greece, while waiting for the new federation leadership to set a definitive direction.
Italy now enters a period of complete transition: without a president, without a head of delegation, and now without a head coach, the rebuilding process starts from scratch.
