Home / Football / Internationals News Gennaro Gattuso leaves Italy role after World Cup failure Gattuso failed to get Italy to the World Cup this summer Written by Mitch Fretton Last Update: April 3, 2026 02:07:17 pm BST 2 min read Gennaro Gattuso has left his role as Italy head coach after reaching an agreement to terminate his contract following their World Cup qualification failure. Italys hopes of reaching this summers tournament ended with a penalty shootout defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the play-offs, confirming a third consecutive absence from the competition.Gattuso, who was appointed in June as the successor to Luciano Spalletti, won six of his eight matches in charge but ultimately fell short of the primary objective.Speaking after the defeat, an emotional Gattuso confirmed his departure.With a heavy heart, having failed to achieve the goal we set ourselves, I consider my time as coach of the national team to be over, he said.The Azzurri jersey is the most precious asset in football, which is why its right to facilitate future technical evaluations right from the start.It has been an honour to lead the national team, and to do so with a group of players who have shown commitment and devotion to the jersey.The decision adds to a turbulent period for Italian football. Gabriele Gravina recently stepped down as head of the Italian Football Federation, while Gianluigi Buffon also resigned from his position within the national setup. Topics: Gennaro Gattuso Italy National Football Team Follow us: Mitch Fretton Reporter Mitch is a freelance sports journalist with experience working for LiveScore, GOAL and Colchester United. He has experience working from both his desk at home and in the press box at games covering the Champions League and international football. Read more from Mitch Fretton
