World Cup
Manager, Gattuso leaves Italy job after missing out on World Cup again
Gennaro Gattuso’s reign as Italy manager ended on Friday, the country’s football federation (FIGC) said, after the national team’s failure to qualify for the World Cup.
Italy lost Tuesday’s playoff final in Bosnia on penalties, and the four-time champions have now missed out on three consecutive World Cups.
Gattuso’s departure came a day after FIGC President Gabriele Gravina resigned, and national team delegation head Gianluigi Buffon stepped down from his role.
“With a heavy heart, having failed to achieve the goal we had set ourselves, I consider my time in charge of the national team to be over,” Gattuso said in a statement.
“The Azzurri shirt is the most precious asset in football, which is why it is right to facilitate future technical assessments with immediate effect.
“It has been an honour to lead the national team, and to do so with a group of lads who have shown commitment and loyalty to the shirt.”
The FIGC thanked Gattuso for his work.
“The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) and Gennaro Ivan Gattuso have mutually terminated the contract that bound the Calabrian coach to the helm of the Italian national football team,” the FIGC said in a statement.
“The FIGC thanks Gattuso and his entire staff for the professionalism, dedication and passion with which they have worked over the past nine months and wishes them every success in their future careers.
GATTUSO APPOINTED ON ONE-YEAR CONTRACT
Gattuso was appointed in June on a one-year contract, replacing Luciano Spalletti who was sacked following Italy’s 3-0 defeat by Norway in their opening group game, although he remained in place for the 2-0 win over Moldova the next day.
Italy won their next five group games under Gattuso, but given Norway’s far superior goal difference, they were resigned to another World Cup playoff before the final group game, which Norway won 4-1 at the San Siro.
Italy had lost at the playoff stage of the last two World Cups, but looked on course to make it this time after a 2-0 win over Northern Ireland in the semi-final, before it all fell apart in Bosnia.
Gattuso’s 10-man team let slip a 1-0 lead and crumbled in the penalty shootout.
After the loss in Zenica, Gattuso said it was not the time to speak about his future, but once Gravina made his decision to step away, it was a matter of when Gattuso would follow.
WHO NEXT FOR ITALY?
Gattuso, 48, was a member of Italy’s 2006 World Cup-winning squad, but the country has failed to come anywhere close to replicating that success in the sport’s biggest tournament.
Italy won just one game over the next two editions, exiting at the group stage on both occasions. While there was a spark of recovery with their Euro 2020 triumph, their continued absence from the World Cup underlined their decline.
AC Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri and Napoli manager Antonio Conte are names being mentioned as Gattuso’s successor.
Conte has managed Italy, taking charge in 2014 and leading them to Euro 2016 where his last game was a loss on penalties to Germany in the quarter-finals, having already announced he would leave after the tournament.
Italy’s next game is a friendly in Greece on June 7, and they begin their Nations League campaign in September when they host Belgium.
-Reuters
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By Kunle Solaja, Vancouver
Morocco’s players insist they are not satisfied with making history in Qatar 2022 and are now focused on pushing African football to even greater heights.
The Atlas Lions head into their opening World Cup match against Brazil buoyed by a series of achievements that have transformed the country’s football landscape.
In addition to the senior team’s World Cup exploits, Morocco’s Under-20 side captured the nation’s first FIFA title in 2025, defeating Argentina 2-0 in the FIFA U-20 World Cup final in Chile.
The success has reinforced Morocco’s growing reputation as a football powerhouse, backed by significant investment in infrastructure, youth development and coaching.
Facing Brazil presents the ultimate benchmark.
While the South Americans remain favourites, Morocco have already shown they can overcome football’s aristocrats. Their victories over Spain and Portugal in Qatar changed perceptions worldwide, while the win over Brazil in Tangier provided further evidence of their growing stature.
Now, with another World Cup campaign beginning, the Atlas Lions are determined to show that Moroccan football’s rise is far from over. Their first test comes against the most decorated nation in World Cup history, but Morocco have built a reputation for thriving when the odds are stacked against them.
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By Kunle Solaja
Nearly three decades after Brazil ended Morocco’s 1998 World Cup campaign with a 3-0 victory in France, the Atlas Lions have a chance to settle an old score when the two nations meet again in Group C.
The teams have met only once before at a World Cup, when goals from Brazilian stars Ronaldo, Rivaldo and Bebeto secured victory in Nantes.
Morocco have never defeated South American opposition at the World Cup, having also suffered a 3-0 loss to Peru in 1970. Yet the current generation has repeatedly shattered barriers that once appeared impossible.
The Atlas Lions arrive unbeaten in their last four World Cup group-stage matches, having won two and drawn two during their memorable run in Qatar. Another positive result against Brazil would further cement their reputation as one of world football’s emerging powers.
For many Moroccan supporters, the match represents more than just a group-stage fixture. It is an opportunity to demonstrate how far the national team has progressed since its previous World Cup encounters with football’s traditional giants.
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World Cup
Morocco Ready to Test Themselves Against Brazil as Atlas Lions Chase More World Cup History
By Kunle Solaja
Morocco will launch another chapter of their remarkable World Cup journey when they face five-time champions Brazil in a heavyweight Group C clash, determined to prove that their historic run at Qatar 2022 was no one-off achievement.
The Atlas Lions arrive in North America carrying the hopes of a continent after becoming the first African nation to reach the FIFA World Cup semi-finals four years ago. Now, they are seeking to build on that achievement against one of football’s most successful nations.
Morocco’s path to the 2026 World Cup was flawless. The North Africans won all eight of their qualifying matches, becoming the first African country to secure a place at the tournament and underlining their status as one of the continent’s leading football powers.
Despite Brazil’s rich World Cup pedigree, Morocco will draw confidence from their most recent meeting. In March 2023, the Atlas Lions defeated Brazil 2-1 in Tangier, a victory that demonstrated their ability to compete with the world’s elite teams.
The challenge, however, remains immense. Brazil have won a record five World Cup titles and boast the tournament’s records for victories and goals scored. Yet Morocco believe they possess the quality and experience to upset the South Americans once again.
Much attention will focus on the battle between Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi and Brazil skipper Marquinhos, who are teammates at Paris Saint-Germain but rivals for 90 minutes in New Jersey.
The Atlas Lions also carry memories of their remarkable Qatar campaign, where they topped a group featuring Croatia and Belgium before eliminating Spain and Portugal en route to the semi-finals.
With confidence high and expectations growing, Morocco view the encounter as an opportunity to announce themselves once again as genuine contenders on football’s biggest stage.
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