Gennaro Gattuso resigned from his position as Italy’s head coach after failing to qualify the national team to the 2026 World Cup. It would be the third time in a row that the Nazionale would fail to qualify for the mundial which has been scheduled to hold from July 11.
Gattuso and the four-time champions failed to clinch the ticket when they lost on penalties to Bosnia and Herzegovina away in Zenica on Tuesday night. Following the defeat, Gattuso was expected to resign, with reports suggesting possible candidates to replace him as head coach.
According to Sky Sport Italia, there are three main candidates for the position. Here is a look at them and what they could possibly offer to revive the team.
Massimiliano Allegri
Many Italy supporters reportedly consider Massimiliano Allegri as the ‘dream’ option for the role of Italy national team head coach. The AC Milan head coach, who is currently in the first year of his two-year contract with the Serie A giants, had never coached the national team. But he is the second most successful Serie A coach of all time with 6 Scudetti to his name.
His tactical style may be considered “old-fashioned”, but it is clearly effective as he has currently guided Milan to second in the Serie A table, five points back of arch-rivals Inter. He would fit quite well with the national team, if he can be persuaded to leave his current team.
Antonio Conte
Napoli head coach, Antonio Conte, is reportedly set for a potential return to the Italy national team. He previously held the position from 2014 to 2016. Under Conte, Italy went 10 matches unbeaten and qualified for Euro 2016 where they finished as quarterfinalists at the tournament.
Shortly after, Conte left to coach Chelsea in the English Premier League. However, many supporters still believe he is the best man for the job. The Nazionale need serious revival, a feat the Conte is famously known for achieving.
Roberto Mancini
Mancini is another former Italy head coach who has been rumoured for a potential return to the national team. However, he is currently under contract with Qatari club Al-Sadd until 2027. But report from Sky suggest that Italian would ‘gladly’ return to his former role.
Mancini guided Italy to their last major title, EURO 2020, before he left the role after failing to qualify for the 2024 World Cup. Under his watch, Italy fell to North Macedonia in the semifinals of the UEFA playoff in 2023. However, he has a better national team experience than any other candidates, an advantage that could be considered.
Other potential candidates for Italy head coach role
Stefano Pioli is considered the “most logical” candidate to take over the Italy job. The former AC Milan and Fiorentina boss is currently without a coaching job. However, he has a long list of experiences, having also managed other top Serie A sides such as Lazio, Inter Milan and others. The 60-year-old also had a stint in Saudi Arabia with Al Nassr, where Cristiano Ronaldo currently plays.
Then again, Pioli’s past failures may be a reason he has not been offered the Italy job yet. He managed to win only one title in his five years with AC Milan before leaving in 2024, was sacked by Al Nassr, while his time with Fiorentina was a complete disaster.
Fabio Cannavaro is another candidate that has caught the attention of Italy supporters. The former World Cup-winning captain has been busy with his coaching career. He has coached Al Nassr, Guangzhou Evergrande, Udinese and Dinamo Zagreb. Cannavaro recently led Uzbekistan to qualify for the country’s first ever World Cup this summer. He may be considered fresh in the team managerial role, but his recent portfolio shows he is quite capable of handling a prestigious national team like the Nazionale.
This might be a reach, but Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola‘s name came in Gazzetta dello Sport publication as a potential candidate for the Italy role. Guardiola is undoubtedly a perfect fit, except the fact that his contract with City still runs until next summer. In addition, many speculate that the Champions League winner might want to take a time off coaching as soon as his contract runs out.
