Gennaro Gattuso begins Italy salvage operation with World Cup on the line
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Italy players Alex Meret and Gulielmo Vicario during a training session to prepare for their World Cup qualifiers.
PHOTO: EPA
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MILAN – Gennaro Gattuso said he is “not afraid” as he begins his reign as Italy coach on Sept 5 with the visit of Estonia and a contested fixture with Israel, as he bids to stop the Azzurri from missing out on a third consecutive World Cup.
The Italians are at risk of not qualifying for the 2026 Finals in the United States, Canada and Mexico after a troubled start to their campaign in June which cost Luciano Spalletti – already under pressure from a dismal European title defence – his job.
Gattuso, who was not Italy’s first-choice option and has a spotty coaching record at club level, has a mountain to climb ahead of his first match as national coach in Bergamo.
Italy are nine points behind Group I leaders Norway after their first two qualifiers, one of them a 3-0 thumping at the hands of Erling Haaland and company.
Only top spot in the group offers automatic qualification to the World Cup and even though Italy have played two fewer games than Norway, their chances of finishing first look slim.
As well as the significant points gap, Italy have a goal difference which is 12 worse off than Norway, meaning that the play-offs, from which they failed to reach the last two tournaments, are the more realistic route for qualification.
“I want to see a sense of belonging, the willingness to make sacrifices, and also acceptance of being told uncomfortable truths by teammates. We cannot allow fear to enter our minds,” Gattuso said.
“I’m wound up like a spring. I have been since the first day. I also feel the weight of responsibility because I wore this jersey myself... One thing is certain, I’m not afraid.”
Gattuso was crowned a world champion with Italy in 2006, the last World Cup in which the Azzurri lived up to their reputation as a hugely important football nation – group-stage exits followed at the next two editions before failing to qualify for the 2018 and 2022 Finals.
“We have to be strong. We can’t panic if the score is still 0-0 after 10 minutes,” added the 47-year-old.
“We need to be a team, to fight blow for blow... History shows that we’ve never lacked character, and we have to bring that back.”
To reach the play-offs, Italy would need to finish second, a position currently occupied by Israel, who have three points more, having played an extra game.
A political cloud has hung over Gattuso’s first week in charge due to the Sept 8 match with Israel in Debrecen, Hungary.
Israel is under mounting pressure at home and abroad to end its offensive in the Gaza Strip which has killed more than 63,000 Palestinians – mostly civilians – according to figures from the health ministry in a territory where the United Nations has declared a famine.
Last weekend, thousands of protesters marched to the gates of the Venice Film Festival, shouting: “Stop the genocide!”, while an open letter calling on festival organisers to denounce the Israeli government was signed by around 2,000 cinema insiders.
In August, the Italian Football Coaches Association sent a letter to the country’s football federation (FIGC) asking that Israel be suspended from international competition.
In October, Italy take on Israel in Udine, where the two teams played a Nations League fixture in 2024, which was met with a huge security operation and pre-match protests from activists.
“I am a man of peace and it hurts my heart to see civilians and children affected, it hurts my heart,” said Gattuso.
“We and the FIGC are working diligently to find solutions and ensure a match in Udine which goes smoothly.
“Our duty is to do our job, but I hope a peaceful solution be found... It’s something that hits you in the heart.” AFP
