Italy seeks a new head coach; Spalletti's tenure comes to an end.
Rome-Time to bid farewell: Spalletti out as Italy's coach 🇮🇹 down, 3-0 against Norway in the World Cup qualifiers-Italian football in chaos! 😮
In the heat of Rome, Italian football is buzzing with speculation and disbelief following their crushing 3-0 defeat in the World Cup qualifiers against Norway. The former SSC Napoli coach, Luciano Spalletti, has been given the boot! 🚪
The 66-year-old, who's been leading the Italian national team since 2023, broke the news at a press conference - he'll be out after the Moldova game on Monday evening. The federation has handed him the pink slip. With two World Cups missed consecutively, there's a looming fear that the 2026 World Cup might also be out of Italy's reach. 🖊️
"I'm sorry, I wanted to stay and change things", said Spalletti, maintaining a cordial relationship with the federation president, Gabriele Gravina. He admitted his dismissal due to the discouraging results and will formally step down after the Moldova game. 🏃♂️
Who's next to don the hot seat? 👨✈️
To fill Spalletti's shoes, several candidates have emerged:
- Claudio Ranieri (current coach of AS Roma), initially considered a top pick, has declined the offer, citing retirement as his priority. 🌟
- Stefano Pioli (coach of Al-Nassr FC, where Cristiano Ronaldo plays), hoped to be the Italian savior, but might face reluctance due to contractual obligations. ⚽️
Meanwhile, former Italian players and coaches, such as Gennaro Gattuso, Daniele De Rossi, and Fabio Cannavaro, welcome the opportunity to redeem Italy's glory days. 🏆
🔗 For more updates:
- Qualifiers debacle: Italy crushed by Norway 🥹
- National Team Analysis: Quality concern lurks in several positions 🤔
- Nations League: Portugal narrowly edges Spain on penalties 💥
- Changing the guard: Ranieri and Pioli in talks to succeed Spalletti 🤓
"With Claudio Ranieri declining the offer due to retirement and Stefano Pioli potentially facing contractual issues, the search for a new coach continues intensely. Several former Italian players, including Gennaro Gattuso, Daniele De Rossi, and Fabio Cannavario, are eying the opportunity to restore Italy's sports dominance in football."
"Amidst the uncertainty, the aftermath of Italy's disappointing 3-0 defeat against Norway persists, casting a shadow over the football community and raising questions about the future of the Italian team in sports competitions, specifically the 2026 World Cup."
