Gattuso to be named Italy head coach, according to Buffon

Gennaro Gattuso will be appointed as Italy’s head coach, replacing Luciano Spalletti, according to Gianluigi Buffon.

The former goalkeeper is now the head of a delegation of the Italian football federation, and confirmed that Gattuso will take over once final details are resolved.

Spalletti sensationally announced his own sacking in a press conference last Sunday, prior to their World Cup qualifying win over Moldova on Monday.

The decision came on the back of a 3-0 defeat to Norway in Italy’s first qualifier for the 2026 World Cup, in which they were comfortably beaten without posing much of a threat.

Spalletti was appointed as Roberto Mancini’s successor in August 2023, though he led Italy through a disappointing title defence at Euro 2024, as they were knocked out in the last 16 by Switzerland after scraping through the group stage.

The former Napoli boss took charge of just 24 matches, winning half of those (D6 L6).

Italy vs. Moldova will be Luciano Spalletti’s last game as Azzurri head coach.#Azzurri #VivoAzzurro pic.twitter.com/h5emYOlH6t

— Italy (@Azzurri_En) June 8, 2025

And now Gattuso, who won the World Cup in 2006 with Italy as a player, will be tasked with leading them back to the world stage.

“We have worked, we are now waiting for the final details,” Buffon told RAI on Saturday when asked to confirm whether Gattuso would be announced as the new coach.

“The president and the whole federation have had some busy days, but I think that in the end we made the best choice.”

Gattuso has recently left Hajduk Split by mutual consent, having finished third in the Croatian top-flight in 2024-25 during his sole season in charge.

Italy have not qualified for either of the last two World Cups, in Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022.

His first matches in charge will come in September, when Italy face Estonia and Israel in World Cup qualifiers, with the Azzurri already nine points behind leaders Norway in Group I, albeit having played two games fewer.