Gennaro Gattuso has been appointed as the head coach of Italy's national football team, succeeding Luciano Spalletti, who parted ways with the squad following a disappointing start to the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign.

Gattuso, a member of Italy's 2006 World Cup-winning team, takes on the role at 47 years old, as stated by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), which emphasized his professionalism and experience as vital assets for the challenges ahead.

The duration of his contract has not been disclosed.

Gattuso is set to address the media in a press conference on Thursday in Rome.

His primary goal will be to guide the Italian national team, a four-time World Cup champion and two-time European champion, back to the World Cup stage for the first time since 2014. Currently, the team is in a challenging position in Group I of the qualifiers, having suffered a 3-0 defeat to Norway in Oslo and accumulating only three points from their initial two matches, placing them third in the group, nine points behind Norway, who lead the standings.

Luciano Spalletti, appointed in August 2023 following Roberto Mancini's unexpected departure to Saudi Arabia, oversaw a tenure that yielded only twelve wins in 24 matches, resulting in a win rate of 50%.

His record is one of the poorest for an Italian national team manager in recent history, second only to Cesare Prandelli's performance from 2010 to 2014.

Gattuso enjoyed a successful playing career, notably with AC Milan, where he won two Serie A titles and two UEFA Champions League titles between 1999 and 2012. However, his managerial career has been characterized by fewer achievements, with just one title, the Coppa Italia with Napoli in 2020, and multiple tenures that often ended prematurely, sometimes surrounded by controversies related to his temperament and working relationships with players and club officials.

His previous coaching stints include AC Milan (2017-2019), Valencia (2019-2021), and Marseille (2023-2024), amongst others.

Notably, Gattuso was not the FIGC's initial choice for the coaching position, facing competition and refusals from other experienced candidates such as Claudio Ranieri and Stefano Pioli.

Profile Summary of Gennaro Gattuso:
- Name: Gennaro Gattuso
- Date of Birth: January 9, 1978 (47 years old)
- Place of Birth: Corigliano Calabro, Italy
- Nationality: Italian
- Position: Midfielder/Coach

Playing Career:
- Clubs: Perugia (1995-1997), Glasgow Rangers (1997-1998), Salernitana (1998-1999), AC Milan (1999-2012), Sion (2012-2013)
- Achievements with AC Milan: Serie A Champion (2004, 2011), Coppa Italia (2003), Supercoppa Italiana (2004, 2011), UEFA Champions League (2003, 2007), UEFA Super Cup (2003, 2007), FIFA Club World Cup (2007)
- Achievements with Glasgow Rangers: Scottish Champion (1999), Scottish Cup (1999)
- Italy National Team: 73 caps (2000-2010), 1 goal, World Champion (2006)

Coaching Career:
- Clubs: Sion (2013), Palermo (2013), OFI Crete (2014), Pisa (2015-2017), AC Milan (2017-2019), Napoli (2019-2021), Valencia (2022-2023), Marseille (2023-2024), Hajduk Split (2024-2025)
- Achievements: Coppa Italia (2020 with Napoli)