Gennaro Gattuso stepped down as Italy’s national head coach following Italy’s failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup for the third consecutive time.

The Italian Football Association and the former manager mutually terminated his contract, following Italy’s defeat on Tuesday in the World Cup Playoffs, which ended in a penalty shootout loss to Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Gattuso, following the huge defeat, issued a public apology to Italians, admitting his side failed to achieve the goal of qualification they had been seeking and expressed his honour of representing Italy.

He said, “The Azzurri jersey is the most precious asset in football, which is why it’s 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.”

Gennaro Gattuso’s departure comes shortly after he was appointed as Luciano Spalletti’s replacement in June 2025. He coached eight games for the Azzurri, had a six-match winning streak, and suffered two losses.

Gennaro Gattuso’s football career began in 1995 as a defensive midfielder at Perugia Calcio. He then moved to Scotland to play for Rangers for a short spell, becoming a fan favourite. 

He later gained AC Milan’s attention and joined in 1999 and rose to become a club legend, winning two Champions League titles and two Serie A titles. 

At Milan, he was known for his aggressive and strong style of play, playing alongside Kaka, Andrea Pirlo, Paolo Maldini, Filippo Inzaghi, Zlatan Ibrahimović and more.

After his retirement in 2013, he moved into management, starting at FC Sion.

He later moved to coach Palermo FC and OFI Crete FC before returning to San Siro to coach Milan in 2017, stabilising the team and winning the Supercoppa Italiana in 2018. And left as his side missed out on the UCL qualification.

He later had several other managerial spells in Napoli, Villarreal and Marseille.

The head coach’s departure also comes shortly after former Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon left the national team technical staff, as well as the resignation of Gabriele Gravina as head of Italy’s football association.