Italy Debuts Gattuso in Crucial 2026 World Cup Qualifier vs Estonia

Italy, under new head coach Gennaro Gattuso, will face Estonia in their third match of the 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign, aiming for a crucial victory to keep pace with group leaders Norway. Gattuso, who replaced Luciano Spalletti after a mixed start to the qualifiers, is expected to deploy a 4-2-3-1 formation featuring Moise Kean and Mateo Retegui leading the attack, with Gianluigi Donnarumma making his first appearance since joining Manchester City. Estonia, coached by Jurgen Henn, have studied Gattuso's previous club teams to anticipate Italy's tactics and are prepared for a challenging match despite their lower standing and injury concerns. Italy's squad combines Premier League stars and Serie A talent, with key midfielders Nicolò Barella and Sandro Tonali expected to be central to the game plan, while Estonia relies heavily on goalkeeper Karl Hein. The match, held at the Stadio di Bergamo, will be broadcast on Amazon Prime in the UK and various platforms in the USA and Canada. Both teams recognize the high stakes, with Italy needing to improve their qualifying campaign and Estonia aiming to capitalize on their spirited play despite recent losses.