Gennaro Gattuso will remain in his position as Italy coach at least until the next international break in June, according to team manager Gianluigi Buffon.
The Azzurri failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup for the third consecutive time after a shock penalty shootout defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina, a match Italy played mostly with 10 men following Alessandro Bastoni’s sending off in the final minutes of the first half.
Buffon: We’ll continue until at least June
“This is a delicate moment, and we need to take the time to make the right assessments,” Buffon said during the press conference.
“Obviously, the sporting season ends in June, so it’s only right and fair that until then we remain at the disposal of the Federation, the President, and everyone who has placed their trust in me.”
Buffon responded to the praise from the Italian media, saying: “If you realize that something is changing and improving, I’m very happy, because that was one of the goals we set. But obviously, the most important goal was qualifying for the World Cup.”
He concluded: “This is truly painful, and it means we risk not thinking clearly, so I’ll stop here. We’ll stay here until June, and then we’ll see how things are handled in the next phase.”
FIGC President Asks Gattuso to Stay
The president of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), Gabriele Gravina, confirmed that he has asked Gennaro Gattuso and Gigi Buffon to remain with the Italian national team, emphasizing that he does not intend to resign after failing to qualify for the World Cup again.
Gravina said at the press conference: “Our mentality is perfectly clear to everyone, especially considering the way the result has unfolded.”
He added: “Let me commend these lads who have made tremendous strides in the last few months. Many of you haven’t fully appreciated the atmosphere that has recently been created.”
He continued: “We wanted to bring joy to our fans, and I want to praise Rino Gattuso; he’s a great coach, and I asked him to stay with Gigi Buffon to take charge of this team.”
Iraq and DR Congo complete the lineup for the 2026 World Cup
Gravina added: “You missed a scene of great unity in the dressing room. You all saw the match, and the players were heroic under these circumstances. After that, I understand that there are assessments that need to be made.”
He concluded: “Next week, we will have much deeper reflections on the situation because the questions you are asking require the right forum to answer them. The Italian Federation has to decide how to select and build its team, and we can only work with what we have available in the league.”
Gattuso: I’m in so much pain
Gattuso expressed his disappointment with the Bosnia match, stating that he was “in deep pain” from missing out on qualification for the World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
The Italian said, “These players didn’t deserve this, considering the effort, love, and determination they showed. We had three chances, and most of their crosses barely reached us.”
He added, “I’m still proud of my players. If you stabbed me with a dagger today, nothing would come out; I’m completely drained. Qualifying was crucial for Italian football, and it’s heartbreaking to leave like this.”
He continued, “I personally apologize for not being able to qualify, but these lads gave their all.”
Regarding his future as Italy’s coach, he concluded, “I think talking about my future today isn’t important. What mattered was participating in the World Cup. We’re satisfied with the performance, but what happened is painful. We’re disappointed.”
