Luciano Spalletti has confirmed that he has been sacked as Italy head coach in the wake of a damaging 3-0 defeat to Norway in World Cup qualifying.
Speaking at a press conference on Sunday ahead of Italy’s qualifier against Moldova, Spalletti said he had been informed of the decision by Italian Football Federation (FIGC) president Gabriele Gravina the previous night.
The 65-year-old insisted he had no intention of resigning and would have preferred to stay on during a difficult period for the national team.
“I am disappointed,” said Spalletti. “I never wanted to walk away, especially now. But it is a dismissal and I have to accept it.”
Spalletti took charge of Italy in August 2023 following Roberto Mancini’s unexpected departure. He led the national side through a turbulent spell marked by poor results, injuries and off-field controversies.
Italy exited the 2024 European Championship in the round of 16 after a 2-0 loss to Switzerland, managing just one win in the tournament. They were also knocked out of the UEFA Nations League by Germany in the quarter-finals.
Friday’s heavy defeat in Oslo left Italy bottom of their qualifying group with zero points, albeit having played fewer matches due to their Nations League commitments. Gianluigi Donnarumma called the result “not acceptable” as pressure mounted on Spalletti.
Despite trailing group leaders Norway by nine points, Italy still have two games in hand. However, another failure to qualify for the World Cup — which would be a third in a row — now looms large.
Spalletti’s time in charge has been overshadowed by several challenges. A wave of injuries, betting bans for Sandro Tonali and Nicolo Fagioli, and tensions with players such as Francesco Acerbi complicated his efforts to stabilise the squad.
The former Napoli manager also drew criticism for his media handling and strained relationships with certain players. His predecessor Mancini appeared to support Acerbi’s withdrawal from the Norway match, further fuelling internal friction.
Spalletti leaves his post with 11 wins from 23 matches. He was appointed shortly after leading Napoli to their first Serie A title in 33 years.
Reports in Italy suggest Stefano Pioli is the frontrunner to replace him, with Claudio Ranieri and Fabio Cannavaro also under consideration.
An official announcement from the FIGC is expected following Italy’s match against Moldova on Monday.
