Gennaro Gattuso leaves as Italy manager after Azzurri fail to reach FIFA World Cup following play-off loss to Bosnia and Herzegovina
By Ben Southby
Updated 03/04/2026 at 14:53 GMT+1
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Italy failed to qualify for a FIFA World Cup for the third successive time and Gennaro Gattuso has now stepped down as head coach. The 48-year-old saw his nation stumble at the final hurdle, knocked out by Bosnia and Herzegovina on penalties in their play-off final after Haris Tabakovic's late equaliser took the 10-man Azzurri to extra-time in Zenica.
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Gennaro Gattuso has stepped down as head coach of Italy after seeing his side knocked out in their FIFA World Cup qualifying play-off final against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Having only spent 10 months in charge after taking over from Luciano Spalletti, Gattuso won six of his eight games in charge but mutually parted ways with the team he represented 73 times as a player following their World Cup heartbreak.
"With a heavy heart, having failed to achieve the goal we set ourselves, I consider my time as coach of the national team to be over," Gattuso 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."
Italy finished second in Group I, behind winners Norway, meaning that they missed out on an automatic spot at the World Cup but progressed to the second round of qualifying.
They beat Northern Ireland 2-0 thanks to goals from Sandro Tonali and Moise Kean to meet Bosnia in the final, who overcame Wales on penalties.
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Kean scored again to put Gattuso's side in the driving seat against Edin Dzeko's Bosnia, but the hosts were given a major boost when Alessandro Bastoni was sent off just before the break.
Haris Tabakovic equalised to force extra time, before Bosnia claimed a 4-1 victory on penalties to book their spot at the World Cup for the first time since - rather ironically - 2014.
Italy have not reached the finals of a World Cup since 2014 in Brazil, with their last victory at the tournament coming against England under Roy Hodgson.
They are the first previous winner to have failed to reach three consecutive World Cups and before this run had only previously failed to qualify once, in 1958.
After becoming world champions for the fourth time in Germany 20 years ago, they made consecutive group stage exits in 2010 and 2014 before missing out completely in 2018, 2022 and 2026.
However, they have tasted major European success in that time, beating England in the UEFA European Championship final at Wembley Stadium in 2021 under Roberto Mancini.
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