Italy Appoints Gennaro Gattuso as National Team Coach

The Italian Football Federation has officially appointed Gennaro Gattuso as the new head coach of the Italy national football team, following Luciano Spalletti's dismissal after a 3-0 loss to Norway in World Cup qualifiers. Gattuso, a 2006 World Cup champion as a player, is tasked with reviving Italy's struggling qualification campaign for the 2026 World Cup, with the team currently nine points behind group leader Norway but having played fewer matches. The federation president Gabriele Gravina praised Gattuso as a symbol of Italian football, emphasizing his motivation, professionalism, and experience. Gattuso's coaching resume includes stints at AC Milan, Napoli, Valencia, Marseille, and most recently Hajduk Split, which he left by mutual consent earlier this year. Italy has missed the last two World Cups and faces a challenging path to qualification, needing to top their group amid stiff competition. Gattuso's first matches in charge will be against Estonia and Israel in September, as the team aims to secure a spot in the expanded 48-team 2026 tournament.