Gattuso steps down as Italian national team manager following disastrous World Cup campaign

Gennaro Gattuso stepped down as Italy coach on Friday, as the country's failure to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup continued to reverberate through Italian football, with the Azzurri having fallen significantly behind rival nations like France and Spain over the past two decades.

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A World Cup winner in 2006, Gattuso's tenure as Italy coach lasted less than a year, a period marked by the team's declining fortunes on the international stage.

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The final blow came on Tuesday, when Italy's World Cup qualification hopes were dashed by a penalty shootout defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina, a loss that ultimately cost Gattuso his job and led to the resignation of the man who appointed him, Italian Football Federation (FIGC) president Gabriele Gravina.

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Gravina had initially asked Gattuso to remain in his position after the elimination in Zenica, but the departure of Gravina and national team general manager Gianluigi Buffon created an opportunity for Gattuso to resign, which he did, at the age of 48.

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Gattuso took the reins of the Italian national team in June last year, following the dismissal of Luciano Spalletti, who had overseen a dismal title defence at Euro 2024 and a 3-0 loss to Erling Haaland's Norway in a World Cup qualifier.

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On paper, Gattuso's record appears impressive, with six wins, one defeat, and one draw in eight matches, as well as 22 goals scored and 10 conceded.

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However, that record is tempered by the fact that the draw was a 1-1 tie with Bosnia, which was followed by a penalty shootout in which Italy missed twice, and the loss was a humiliating 4-1 defeat to Norway at the San Siro.

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Gattuso's appointment had been viewed with skepticism by many, given his inconsistent record as a club coach, and he faced heavy criticism in the aftermath of Tuesday's elimination.