Gennaro Gattuso
Italy manager who oversaw a historic third consecutive World Cup exit in 2026.
Last refreshed: 5 April 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Did Gattuso's training record doom Italy's World Cup hopes from the start?
Timeline for Gennaro Gattuso
Mentioned in: Serie A picks Malagò for FIGC, sidelining government
2026 FIFA World CupMentioned in: Buffon quits FIGC delegation chief role on 2 April
2026 FIFA World CupMentioned in: Italy Miss Third Consecutive World Cup
2026 FIFA World CupAbodi Demands Gravina Resign as FIGC Crisis Deepens
2026 FIFA World Cup- Why did Gattuso resign as Italy manager?
- Gattuso resigned after Italy lost 4-1 on penalties to Bosnia and Herzegovina on 31 March 2026, confirming a third consecutive World Cup absence. He had fewer than 15 training sessions with his squad in 10 months as coach.Source: Fox Sports
- What trophies did Gennaro Gattuso win as a player?
- Gattuso won the 2006 FIFA World Cup with Italy and two UEFA Champions League titles with AC Milan (2003, 2007), plus two Serie A titles.Source: UEFA
- Who will be Italy's next manager after Gattuso?
- Silvio Baldini, the current Italy Under-21 coach, has been linked with an interim role while FIGC elections on 22 June 2026 appoint new federation leadership.Source: Sky Sport Italia
- How many training sessions did Gattuso hold as Italy manager?
- Fewer than 15 in his 10 months in charge, a figure widely cited as a structural failure that limited his ability to build team cohesion.Source: BBC Sport
Background
Gennaro Gattuso resigned as head coach of the Italian national team in early April 2026, confirming what had been inevitable after Italy lost 4-1 on penalties to Bosnia and Herzegovina on 31 March, missing the World Cup for a third consecutive time. His departure, confirmed within days of FIGC president Gabriele Gravina's own resignation, completed a total collapse of the Azzurri hierarchy. Reports revealed he had held fewer than 15 training sessions with his squad across ten months, a figure that became the defining indictment of a chaotic tenure.
Gattuso built his reputation as a ferociously combative midfielder at AC Milan, winning two Serie A titles and two UEFA Champions League trophies, as well as the 2006 FIFA World Cup with Italy. After retiring he moved into management, coaching Napoli, Fiorentina, Valencia and Marseille with mixed results, rarely staying beyond a single season at any club. His appointment as Azzurri manager in August 2025 was considered a gamble given his inconsistent club record, though his playing pedigree with the national team lent him some political capital inside Italian football.
The elimination has opened a full crisis in Italian football governance. Italy now face a structural reckoning with their youth development pipeline and national team administration. Silvio Baldini, the current Italy Under-21 coach, has been linked with the interim head coach role while FIGC elections on 22 June 2026 determine the federation's new leadership. Italy have not appeared at a World Cup since 2014 Brazil, a 16-year absence set to extend at least to 2030.