World Cup winner Gattuso takes over as Italy coach
dpa
Rome
Gennaro Gattuso was named as the new Italy coach on Sunday.
The 2006 World Cup winner will hope to lead the struggling Squadra Azzurra to the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
'Gattuso is a symbol of Italian football,' Italian football federation president Gabriele Gravina said in a statement. 'The blue jersey is like a second skin for him.' Former midfielder Gattuso, who was known during his playing career for his aggressive style of play, succeeds Luciano Spalletti after leaving as coach of Hadjuk Split earlier this month.
Spalletti had been on the bench for Italy's recent 2-0 victory against Moldova, but his departure had already been decided beforehand after a run of bad results.
Gianluigi Buffon, Gattuso's former team-mate from the 2006 World Cup and now the national team's coordinator, has described the appointment as 'the best possible choice.' Italy failed to qualify for the World Cup in both 2018 and 2022.
The team sit in third place in Group I of the 2026 qualifiers with only three points, trailing Norway (12 points) and Israel (6 points), though both have played more matches. Only the group winners qualify directly for the World Cup, while the runners-up enter the play-offs.
Gattuso's unveiling as the new national coach is scheduled for Thursday in Rome.
Gravina emphasized the importance of the coming months, saying: 'His motivation, professionalism and experience will be fundamental in tackling the national team's upcoming challenges. I am fully aware of the significance of the goal we want to achieve.'
The 47-year-old Gattuso previously managed AC Milan, Napoli, Valencia and Olympique Marseille. The length of his contract as Italy coach remains unclear.
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