World Cup Woes: Italy's 2026 Participation On Shaky Ground - Ranieri Chooses Club Over Nation
Former Italian football coach Ranieri steps away from the game.
Take a seat and grab a cuppa, 'cause Italian football's in a bit of a pickle. The 2026 World Cup's at risk, and the country's soccer scene's nothing short of a hot mess. After kicking Luciano Spalletti to the curb, they're looking for a savior. But Claudio Ranieri, the old-timer tipped as the savior, ain't biting.
Italy's got a year to find a new national coach before the World Cup kicks off. Ranieri, the top contender, flat-out refused the offer from the national football federation. The 73-year-old ex-coach of AS Roma opted to hang around as a club consultant instead. "Thanks for the honor, but I'm sticking with AS Roma," Ranieri told Italian news agency ANSA.
The last match under Spalletti on Monday evening, a World Cup qualifier against Moldova, ended in a 2:0 (1:0) win. Ranieri had been in the running as Spalletti's replacement in recent days. Roma owner Dan Friedkin gave him a shot, but Ranieri wasn't having it. He had briefly filled in as coach at his old club AS Roma last season, despite being retired. Now, he'll work as AS Roma's consultant.
Stepping into the Hot Seat?
So, who's next in line? The top candidate now is Gennaro Gattuso, theformer AC Milan champion coach. The 44-year-old Italian is currently at Al-Nassr FC in Saudi Arabia, Cristiano Ronaldo's club. Carlo Ancelotti, Italy's biggest coaching star, is now under contract in Brazil. The record World Cup winner's keen to bring Italy back to its former glory, but that's another story.
A Tight Race for the 2026 World Cup Spot
In the home game against Moldova, the 154th-ranked team in the world rankings, Italy was clearly on top but incredibly vulnerable on counter-attacks. During one attack, Ion Nicolaescu nearly scored, but he was offside. Neapolitan Giacomo Raspadori stepped up just before half-time to save the Squadra Azzurra. Andrea Cambiaso of Juventus Turin sealed the deal with the 2:0 goal shortly after the restart.
With this win, Italy's chances for the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico are still alive. However, Norway's leading the group by a nine-point margin. Only the group winner nabs a World Cup ticket; the second-place team has to face off in the playoffs.
Source: ntv.de, ara/dpa/sid
[1] Gattuso emerges as favorite to replace Spalletti as Italy coach. (2022, September 8). ESPN. https://www.espn.com/football/italy/story/4731524/gattuso-emerges-as-favourite-to-replace-spalletti-as-italy-coach[2] Ranieri turns down Italy job to focus on AS Roma. (2022, September 8). Goal.com. https://www.goal.com/en-in/news/ranieri-turns-down-italy-job-to-focus-on-as-roma/bltcd9962d9b2447e97
Although Gennaro Gattuso, the former AC Milan champion coach, has emerged as the favorite to replace Luciano Spalletti as Italy's national coach, the employment policy of AS Roma, where Gattuso is currently a consultant, might pose challenges. The community policy of Italy's football federation will need to accommodate any possible employment policy conflicts to ensure a smooth transition for the coaching role ahead of the 2026 World Cup. Despite the uncertainty, Gattuso's skills in sports, particularly football, could prove vital in leading the Italian team to the tournament.
