Former Italy midfielder Gennaro Gattuso has revealed he has been battling an illness for 15 years. The 48-year-old was forced to retire from playing in 2013 because of an autoimmune disease.
Gattuso represented his country for a decade and was part of the Italy team that lifted the 2006 World Cup. He later moved into management and is currently in charge of Serie A side Lazio.
Health battle details
Speaking at the Festival dello Sport event in Trento over the weekend, the two-time Champions League winner opened up on his health battle. “I stopped playing because of the autoimmune disease I got,” Gattuso explained. “And I have been taking cortisone for 15 years. Throughout all these years I have said that there are people with my illness who stay in bed for four or five months because they cannot move.
“I accepted the illness, I work on it. But it takes its toll on me, because taking cortisone every day is not easy. It has been six or seven years since I drank any kind of alcohol. You keep going until God gives you the strength to carry on.”
Management career
Despite his illness, Gattuso went straight into management when he retired from playing. The Italian took over at Swiss side Sion after joining as a player just eight months prior. He lasted only three months before moving to Palermo for another short-lived spell.
He went on to manage Greek side OFI Crete, Italian clubs Pisa, AC Milan, Napoli and Fiorentina, Spanish outfit Valencia, French giants Marseille and Croatian team Hajduk Split before getting the Italy job. Gattuso spent less than a year in charge of his country, resigning after Italy failed to qualify for the World Cup by losing to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the play-offs.
Current role at Lazio
Lazio appointed him in June and have enjoyed a good start to the season. Gattuso's side are level on points with Serie A leaders and bitter rivals Roma, having won four and drawn one of their opening five league games.
“Before Lazio, I had come from an experience that cost me and hurt me,” Gattuso said. “The national team was an incredible blow. I wanted to start again immediately. I had been abroad for a few years and I like it. I like immersing myself in different cultures.
“They were important experiences. I said no to [Lazio president Claudio] Lotito two or three times; this time I said yes because it was a team in difficulty and I thought the players could give me something. I became convinced.
“We have started well, but the road is long. But I'm proud of the lads, who are giving so much. We had our training camp at Formello, and it was incredibly hot. It was very difficult. Seeing the lads train like that, without giving up and without complaining, I sensed that there was something special.”
