FIGC Confirms Gattuso’s Future After Italy Miss Third World Cup

‎Italy’s football chief confirmed that Gennaro Gattuso has been asked to remain as national team coach despite the play-off loss to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

‎The Azzurri were eliminated after a 4–1 penalty shootout defeat following a 1–1 draw in Zenica. This result makes Italy the first former World Cup winner to miss three consecutive tournaments, with this year’s edition hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

‎”I’ve asked him to stay and asked (Gianluigi) Buffon to stay in charge of the football side,” Gabriele Gravina, president of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), told reporters.

‎Buffon has a role within the FIGC which involves overseeing the senior and youth national teams.

‎Asked whether he would accept Gravina’s invitation to stay, Gattuso repeated what he said to Italian broadcaster RAI by saying it “wasn’t important”.

‎”The defeat hurts too much,” said Gattuso.

Gennaro Gattuso, a 2006 World Cup winner as a player, was appointed in June last year to replace Luciano Spalletti and is under contract until after the World Cup.

‎FIGC president Gabriele Gravina added that he will not resign, though his role will be reviewed at a board meeting next week.