Crisis in Italy: Coach Luciano Spalletti has been dismissed from the national team

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.

Another candidate is Roberto Mancini, currently without a team after his brief experience in Saudi Arabia. Mancini already managed Italy between 2018 and 2023, a period in which he won Euro 2021 but also experienced the painful elimination on the road to Qatar at the hands of North Macedonia.

The upcoming match against Moldova appears to be a kind of early final for the Nazionale, not only because of what is at stake in terms of qualification, but also because it could mark a turning point for a historic national team that seems to have lost its way and is on the verge of missing, once again, the most important event in world football.