Gattuso Takes Helm of Italy's National Team, Aims to Rebuild and Secure World Cup Qualification

Gennaro Gattuso, Italy's newly appointed coach, expressed his commitment to revitalizing the national team and fostering a strong sense of unity. His primary objective is to secure qualification for the upcoming World Cup, a crucial task following the team's consecutive failures to qualify.

Gattuso takes over from Luciano Spalletti, who was dismissed after a World Cup qualifying loss. Gattuso's departure from Croatian club Hajduk Split, where he achieved a third-place finish, preceded his appointment. He acknowledged the challenges ahead, emphasizing his determination to succeed.

Known as 'Ringhio' for his aggressive playing style, Gattuso earned 73 caps for Italy and was a key player in the 2006 World Cup-winning team. Fans are hopeful that his strong personality will help guide the four-time world champions to the next World Cup, to be held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

Italy, currently third in their World Cup qualifying group, will host Estonia and then face Israel in the coming weeks. Gattuso aims to cultivate a positive environment within the team, emphasizing enthusiasm and a sense of family. He has been given a one-year contract.

Gattuso's playing career was largely spent at AC Milan, where he achieved significant success, including two Champions League and two Serie A titles. He later coached the club and won the Coppa Italia with Napoli in 2020.

During his press conference in Rome, Gattuso highlighted the importance of creating a sense of belonging within the Azzurri. He believes the players feel the pressure of past failures to qualify and that this is affecting their performance. He stressed the need for resilience and dedication to overcome the current challenges.