Gennaro Gattuso is confident he can achieve great things with Italy as the new Azzurri boss sets his sights on the “fundamental” goal of qualifying for the World Cup.
Gattuso replaced Luciano Spalletti, who was relieved of his duties following a dreadful start to qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, with Italy hammered 3-0 by Norway. The Azzurri followed that up with a 2-0 win over Moldova in Spalletti’s final game in charge.
Italy have not qualified for a World Cup since exiting in the group stage of the 2014 tournament, but a failure to reach the expanded 48-team finals would mark a new low.
Gattuso, though, is adamant Italy have the quality to progress to the finals, believing the key lies in their mindset.
“This is a dream come true. I hope I’m up to the task,” Gattuso told his introductory press conference.
“I know it’s not going to be easy, but that’s often the case in life. My staff and I are aware that a lot of work lies ahead, but we are confident that we can achieve something truly great,” Gattuso said.
“There’s work to be done. Meeting players, talking to them, getting into their heads. I’ve been hearing for years that there’s no talent, but I believe the players are there. We need to put them in the right conditions to perform at their best. The goal is to go back to the World Cup. It’s fundamental for us and Italian football.
“We need to rediscover enthusiasm and stop thinking negatively. When players come to Coverciano, they should do so with excitement.
“Creating a family is the most important thing. Beyond tactics and technique, we need to rebuild that group spirit that has defined us for so many years.
“We have important players; four or five in this group are among the top ten in the world in their roles.
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“I’ll repeat it. It’s about the team, not individuals. I’m convinced this squad has values and can achieve its goal. When [Gianluigi] Buffon and [Gabriele] Gravina called me, I didn’t hesitate for a second. I believe we have what it takes to succeed.
“Missing two editions of the World Cup in a row isn’t easy to swallow. That’s why we must rediscover enthusiasm; fear leads nowhere.”
Gattuso has already coached in Italian domestic football and in Switzerland, Greece, Spain, France and Croatia.
His most recent job was in Croatia with Hajduk, who finished third in the Croatian top flight in his sole season in charge, two points behind champions Rijeka.
Gattuso’s lone major trophy as a coach came with Napoli in the 2019-20 Coppa Italia.
Asked about his record, Gattuso replied: “At Hajduk, after 19 years, we fought for the title with a team full of youngsters.
“It depends on how things get reported. Only one team wins the league, but it’s essential to look at the work done. Did the team grow or not?.”
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Growth is a key aim for Gattuso, a member of the Italy side that won the 2006 World Cup under Marcello Lippi.
Among the issues he inherits is one concerning Inter Milan centre-back Francesco Acerbi, who refused to play under Spalletti.
“I hope I can do what Marcello did. Not necessarily lift the trophy, but create that chemistry in the locker room,” Gattuso explained.
“I want to rebuild that sense of belonging. I want to see players arrive at Coverciano smiling and feeling good. I need to interact with the team effectively. Times have changed. We need to get into their heads properly. It’s not about expecting them to change, we’re the ones who ned to meet them halfway.
“We need to understand why a player refuses to play. The first thing I asked the president and Buffon was: Anyone coming to Coverciano must stay, even if they have a minor issue.
“We have everything in place to treat them. To be credible and avoid excuses. If a player is called up, he stays in Coverciano, just like when I played. If we can’t get them healthy, then they return to their club. What matters most is spending time together. Players usually sustain minor injuries when playing 50 or 60 games a year, but we can’t start setting dangerous precedents.
“There are always challenging moments on the pitch; if somebody doesn’t run the extra yard, it gets tough. We need to change this mindset. We must be able to speak the hard truths to each other. We can only grow this way.”
