The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) confirmed that the termination of the contract, which expired on June 30, came about by mutual agreement, after a series of meetings following the penalty shootout against Bosnia and Herzegovina, a result that left Azzurra out of their third consecutive World Cup.
In his farewell, Gattuso said: “It was an honor to manage the national team. Thanks to all the Italians for always showing me their love.” In addition, he took responsibility for the failure: “With a broken heart, not having achieved the goal we set for ourselves, I conclude my time as national coach. The Azzurri jersey is the most precious asset in football, so it's only right to facilitate future technical evaluations right from the start
.” Gatusso resigned as coach of Italy
"It has been an honor to lead the national team, and to do so with a group of players who have demonstrated commitment and devotion to the shirt. But my greatest thanks go to the fans, to all the Italians who have never stopped showing their love and support for the national team during these months.Always with the Azzurri in my heart,” he concluded
.
Gattuso also thanked the support received during his administration, especially from the resigning president Gabriele Gravina and Gianluigi Buffon, who served as head of the delegation and also left office after the failure. The federation valued his move: “In just a few months, Gattuso managed to restore enthusiasm to the national team,” said Gravina, despite the
negative outcome.
The former midfielder's cycle lasted just nine months, during which time he achieved a positive balance of 6 wins, 1 loss and 1 draw (the match against Bosnia that later ended up being defeated on penalties), but he failed to reverse the sporting crisis that Italy has been dragging on for years. The recent elimination is added to the absences from the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, an unprecedented situation for a four-time world champion team
. Gatusso was unable to reverse the sports crisis that Italy has been suffering
Now, Italy must reconfigure its management and sports structure. With elections scheduled for June 22, the appointment of the new coach will be in the hands of the next leadership. Among the candidates are Antonio Conte and Roberto Mancini, while Silvio Baldini could take over on an interim basis in
the short term.
In the midst of a profound crisis, Azzurra begins a process of reconstruction with the urgency of regaining its place in the elite of world football.
