Buffon Confirms Italy's Immediate Plan After World Cup Qualifying Failure
Gianluigi Buffon has confirmed that he and Italy head coach Gennaro Gattuso will remain in charge of the national side until at least June, despite the devastating failure to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup tournament. This announcement comes after Italy's heartbreaking penalty shootout defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the World Cup playoff on Tuesday evening.
Playoff Heartbreak for the Azzurri
Italy endured more World Cup playoff misery as they were beaten on penalties by Bosnia and Herzegovina, allowing the Eastern European side to qualify for this summer's tournament in the USA, Canada and Mexico at the expense of the Azzurri. The four-time champions have not appeared at the global showpiece since 2014 and have not advanced beyond the group stage since their most recent triumph in 2006, making them the first former winners to miss three finals in a row.
Italian players were left in tears after the match, having looked poised for victory when Moise Kean curled them into an early lead in Zenica. However, the game turned when Alessandro Bastoni was sent off for bringing down Amar Memic as the last man in the 42nd minute. Bosnia, who had previously beaten Wales in a shootout in the playoff semi-final, capitalized on their numerical advantage when Haris Tabakovic bundled in after a goalmouth scramble to force extra time.
Penalty Shootout Defeat and Calls for Overhaul
The match eventually went to penalties, where misses from Francesco Esposito and Bryan Cristante proved costly in the shootout defeat. This result understandably prompted Italian newspapers on Wednesday morning to scream for a comprehensive overhaul of Italian football. Head coach Gattuso, who replaced the sacked Luciano Spalletti in June 2025, and technical delegate Buffon could potentially be on their way out after failing to reach the World Cup.
Despite this, Italian Football Federation president Gabriele Gravina has asked them to stay in charge for the time being as the situation remains fluid. Buffon, the 48-year-old who won a record 176 caps for Italy during his illustrious playing career, confirmed the temporary arrangement until June in a post-match press conference.
Buffon's Statement and Future Evaluations
"This is a delicate moment, and we need to take the necessary time to make the right evaluations," Buffon explained. "Clearly, the sporting season ends in June, so until then it is only right and fair for us to be available to the Federation, the president, and all those who had faith in me."
Buffon also noted the improved attitude of the players under Gattuso's leadership, highlighting that the Azzurri fought hard after going down to 10 men against Bosnia and had chances to win the match—a resilience that had not always been present under previous coach Spalletti. "If you realised something is changing and improving, then I am very happy, because that was one of the objectives we set," added Buffon. "But clearly the most important objective was to go to the World Cup. This is something that truly hurts and that means we run the risk of not thinking clearly, so I will stop there. We'll be here until June, then we'll see for the rest how the whole thing is tackled."
Gravina's Comments and Potential Changes
In his own press conference, Gravina pointed to the enhanced approach of the players under Gattuso and Buffon as a positive development, though he hinted that he will call presidential elections next week. Any change of leader at the Italian Football Federation could precipitate a change of coach. "Our state of mind is fairly self-evident, especially considering the way the result developed," said Gravina. "Allow me to compliment the lads, who have grown in leaps and bounds over the last few months. Many of you were unable to fully appreciate the atmosphere created lately."
Gravina continued, "We wanted to give our fans joy, and I want to compliment Rino Gattuso. He is a great coach, I asked him to remain along with Gigi Buffon, in charge of this team. There is a Federal Council, I already decided to call a meeting next week, and that is when there will be evaluations. I understand that people will call for my resignation, but there is a suitable situation to do that. Next week we will make much deeper reflections on the situation, because the questions you ask require the right place to respond. The Federation has to decide how to choose and build its team. We can only do with what we have at our disposal in the league."
The immediate future of Italian football remains uncertain, with Buffon and Gattuso set to stay in their roles until June while evaluations are made. The defeat has sparked widespread calls for reform, and the upcoming Federal Council meeting could determine the next steps for the national team as they aim to rebuild after this significant setback.
