Italian National Football Team in Search of New Coach After Failing to Qualify for 2026 World Cup

After the Italian national football team's failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, there is a growing debate in Italy about who should take over as the new coach of the national team, replacing Gennaro Gattuso. This situation has sparked widespread reactions among fans and sports experts, who believe that Italy needs a new approach to restore its footballing glory.

Ignazio La Russa, the President of the Italian Senate and a well-known Inter fan, expressed his views on the matter. In a statement published in the Corriere della Sera, the politician criticized the current state of affairs within the Italian national team and emphasized that the national squad must seek a world-class coach to return to the pinnacle of global football.

“If Brazil can hire such a great foreign coach as Ancelotti, why can’t we get someone like Mourinho?” La Russa remarked, pointing to the possibility of attracting renowned coaches who could change the dynamics of the team. Mourinho, who has not yet worked with national teams, possesses significant experience in club football, having managed teams like Inter and Roma, and is currently the head coach of Benfica, where Ukrainian players Anatoliy Trubin and Heorhiy Sudakov are on the roster.

It is worth noting that the President of the Italian Football Federation, Gabriele Gravina, previously announced his resignation, which further underscores the crisis facing the Italian football association. Additionally, following the disappointing performance of the national team, legendary former goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon announced his resignation from the position of head of the delegation for the Italian national team, highlighting the seriousness of the situation.

The Italian national team failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup after a shocking defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the playoff final. This loss was a significant blow to Italian football, as Italy will miss its third consecutive World Cup. The last time the Azzurri played in a World Cup was in 2014, when the team, under the guidance of head coach Cesare Prandelli, failed to advance from the group stage. Since then, Italy has not participated in the World Cup playoffs, raising concerns among fans and experts alike.

Italy has a rich history of success on the world stage, having won the FIFA World Cup four times—in 1934, 1938, 1982, and 2006. Only the Brazilian national team has won more titles, with five. However, following recent failures, Italy has set a unique negative record by missing three consecutive World Cups.

UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin also commented on the situation, identifying those responsible for Italy's failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup. According to media reports, head coach Gennaro Gattuso is likely to leave the team after this setback, with two main candidates for the position of the new coach being Antonio Conte and Massimiliano Allegri, who currently manage Napoli and AC Milan, respectively.