The start of the UEFA Qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup could not have been more negative for Italy. The Azzurri suffered a heavy 3-0 defeat against Norway in Oslo, a result that had immediate consequences: Luciano Spalletti was dismissed from his position as head coach.
The situation is alarming for a national team that has already missed the last two World Cups and now is beginning to seriously fear a third consecutive failure. The defeat left significant consequences within the Italian Football Federation, where there is already talk of a deep crisis.
Amid this context, names are starting to circulate to take over the bench. One of those gaining ground is Claudio Ranieri, who recently retired from coaching to take over as sporting director at Roma. Although he stepped away from coaching, he would be willing to accept the challenge of leading the national team, something he has never done in his career.
