Italy Turns to Gennaro Gattuso to get World Cup Hopes Back on Track

Former hard-tackling midfielder Gennaro Gattuso was named Italy coach on Sunday, tasked with reviving the country’s already-flagging World Cup qualifying hopes.

Gattuso replaces Luciano Spalletti, who was fired last week after Italy lost its opening qualifier 3-0 at Norway to spark fears that the four-time champion will fail to qualify for a third straight World Cup.

Gattuso lifted one of those World Cups as a player, in 2006.

“Gattuso is a symbol of Italian soccer, the blue shirt is like a second skin for him,” Italian soccer federation president Gabriele Gravina said. “His motivation, his professionalism and his experience will be fundamental to best face the national team’s next matches.

“Aware of the importance of the objective we want to achieve, I thank him for the willingness and total dedication with which he accepted this challenge.”

Claudio Ranieri was the Italian soccer federation’s top choice to replace Spalletti but he turned down the offer.

Gattuso’s last coaching job was at Hajduk Split but he left the Croatian club by mutual consent at the start of the month after just one season in charge.

The 47-year-old had previously coached AC Milan, Napoli, Valencia and Marseille, among others.

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As a player, Gattuso also won two league titles and two Champions League trophies with Milan, where he made 468 appearances and scored 11 goals. His only goal in 73 appearances for Italy was a fierce 25-meter strike against England in a 1-0 win in November 2000.

Gattuso’s only trophy as a coach was the Italian Cup with Napoli in 2010.

Italy is already nine points behind Norway in its World Cup qualifying group, albeit having played two matches fewer than the group leader.

The Azzurri followed up its dismal opening loss with a 2-0 win over minnow Moldova last Monday in what was Spalletti’s final match in charge. He had revealed that he was being fired the previous day.

Gattuso’s first match as Italy coach will be at home to Estonia on Sept. 5. Israel is also in five-team Group I.

Italy hosts Norway in the final round on Nov. 16. Only the group winner advances directly to the 2026 tournament co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. The runner-up enters playoff brackets to be played next March.

That was the stage where Italy was eliminated by Sweden and North Macedonia and ruled out of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, respectively.

Gattuso will be presented at a news conference in Rome on Thursday.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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