- Gennaro Gattuso agreed to take over the national team after both Claudio Ranieri and Stefano Pioli turned down the role
- The 2006 World Cup winner will replace Luciano Spalletti following Italy’s defeat to Norway
- Gattuso has limited experience as a coach in Serie A but won the Coppa Italia with Napoli in 2020
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Gennaro Gattuso has been chosen as the new head coach of the Italian national team after Stefano Pioli and Claudio Ranieri turned down the offer from the Italian Football Federation (FIGC). 1b5f5u
The 2006 World Cup winner and Milan legend will replace Luciano Spalletti at the helm of the Azzurri. According to SportItalia, Gattuso held talks with national team delegation chief Gianluigi Buffon and FIGC president Gabriele Gravina in Rome, where an agreement was reached for his appointment.
Gennaro Gattuso is meeting with Italy team manager Gigi Buffon this evening and should agree to take the Nazionale job on Thursday.@AlfredoPedulla #Gattuso #Azzurri #Calcio #Nazionale https://t.co/J6XEgq3USL pic.twitter.com/fMR248o440
— Football Italia (@footballitalia) June 11, 2025
Other candidates discussed included fellow 2006 World Cup winners Fabio Cannavaro and Daniele De Rossi, but Gattuso – former coach of Milan, Napoli, and Marseille – emerged as the favourite. Before that, the federation tried to convince first Ranieri and then Pioli to accept the job, but both declined in the days following Spalletti’s dismissal, which came after the defeat to Norway in the World Cup qualifiers.
Gattuso has a modest managerial record in Serie A, though he did win one trophy – the Coppa Italia with Napoli during the 2019/20 season, beating Juventus in the final via penalties. He has also coached Hajduk Split, Milan, Valencia, Pisa, Palermo, and Sion.
Meanwhile, former Italy coach Roberto Mancini itted he regrets his decision to step down from the Azzurri in the summer of 2023 to take over the Saudi Arabia national team. He also hinted that he would be open to returning to lead the four-time world champions following the dismissal of his successor, Luciano Spalletti.
The new Italy coach will have no time to settle in, as the team must urgently reverse its qualifying form to avoid missing out on a third consecutive World Cup.