Gennaro Gattuso leaves Italy role after World Cup failure

Gennaro Gattuso has left his role as Italy head coach after reaching an agreement to terminate his contract following their World Cup qualification failure.

Italy’s hopes of reaching this summer’s tournament ended with a penalty shootout defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the play-offs, confirming a third consecutive absence from the competition.

Gattuso, who was appointed in June as the successor to Luciano Spalletti, won six of his eight matches in charge but ultimately fell short of the primary objective.

Speaking after the defeat, an emotional Gattuso confirmed his departure.

“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,” 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.”

The decision adds to a turbulent period for Italian football. Gabriele Gravina recently stepped down as head of the Italian Football Federation, while Gianluigi Buffon also resigned from his position within the national setup.