Then having brutally separated from Luciano Spalletti, the Italian federation quickly activated to find a profile capable of relaunching a cycle. If Claudio Ranieri was initially expected, the technician preferred to decline the offer, despite the aura and the experience he could have brought. Since then, rumors have multiplied, between a possible return from Roberto Mancini and the names of several ex-internationals … until this decision, which has the effect of a symbol as much as a bet.
Gennaro Gattuso will take control of the selection. The hero of the 2006 World Cup, known for his volcanic temperament, is about to experience an unexpected consecration. Announced very close to an agreement with FIGC, the former coach of Naples and OM will succeed Spalletti on the bench of Squadra Azzurra. A surprising trajectory for those who, after a mixed passage in Marseille then a discreet parenthesis at the Hajduk Split, seemed to move away from radars. The Federation is focusing on its energy and belonging to a triumphant generation to restore a course to the national team.
The bet Gattuso: Italy plays the passion card
The Figc does not want to be content to appoint a strong name. She intends to build a prestigious team around Gattuso. By his side, his faithful assistant Gigio Riccio should find a role of right arm, while the former internationals Bonucci, Barzagli and even Cannavaro are expected to integrate the technical cell. The project is ambitious: embody the continuity of a heritage while instilling a new dynamic with a selection that struggles to regain its stability from its coronation at Euro 2020.
Italy plays big with this symbolic turn
The expectations are large around this appointment. If some see it as a risk taking, others salute a form of homecoming, with a popular figure which knows from the inside the Azzurra house. Gattuso will quickly convince: the 2026 World Cup qualifiers started badly, and Italy remains marked by its absences during the last two editions of the tournament. By bringing the old midfielder back, the Figc hopes to awaken a spirit of conquest which once made its strength.
With Gattuso, it is a part of the history of Italian football that returns to the front of the stage. It remains to be seen whether the leader of men will also become a builder. If he manages to channel her energy in a coherent and unifying project, the Nazional could well find her voice. While waiting for formalization, the whole Italy retains its breath: a new cycle will open, carried by the grinta of a coach like the others.
