Italy is looking for a new coach after the dismissal of Luciano Spalletti.
Spalletti revealed that his contract had been terminated in a press conference on Sunday before the qualification of the Monday World Cup with Moldova.
The decision followed a terrible start to qualify for the Azzurri, which was hammered 3-0 by Norway on Friday, which left them nine points among the leaders of Group I, who played two more games.
Spalletti will take care of the match with Moldova, but the emphasis on the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) is to find a successor that can help them avoid humiliation of missing a third successive world cup. Before 2018, Italy had failed to qualify since the 1958 tournament.
With Carlo Ancelotti (Brazil), Antonio Conte (Napoli) and Massimiliano Allegri (AC Milan) all unavailable, we look at the favorites to meet this challenge, as well as certain external potential candidates.
Luciano Spalletti’s press conference.#Azzurri #Vivozzurro pic.twitter.com/zkg9vm0ahd
– Italy ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (@azzurri_en) June 8, 2025
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Stefano Pioli
The former former boss of AC Milan, Inter Milan and Fiorentina is under contract to the team of Saudi Pro League Al-Nassr.
However, with the future of Cristiano Ronaldo to Al-Nassr uncertain after having missed the qualification of the AFC Champions League, Pioli could surely be tempted by a return home and the potential luck to direct his country during a World Cup.
His previous relationship with Captain Gianluigi Donnarumma and key midfielder Sandro Tonali of his time as a winner of the Milan Scudidett could help his case as a candidate.
Claudio Ranieri
Friday, Ranieri gave the scene to the Roma to Gian Piero Gasperini, ending his passage as an acting coach to become a manager and advisor to the club. However, he has potentially the possibility of extending a coach career covering nearly four decades by taking charge of the national team for the first time.
The previous Ranieri incursion in international football was a disaster, because it only lasted four games as a Greece coach in 2014. He did not succeed in a match and was rejected after a defeat against the Faroe Islands in qualification for Euro 2016.
The first day of Gian Piero Gasperini in Trigoria 📸#Asrama pic.twitter.com/kk4vpgkurg
– As a Roma Anglais (@asromaen) June 6, 2025
However, the 73-year-old stock is raised after his charm with Roma, which he led to a fifth place in Serie A in 2024-25, missing the qualification in the Champions League of a point.
Always well liked by players throughout his career, Ranieri could help provide the emotional elevator that Italy clearly needs.
He did his emotional farewell after his last home game as Roma Boss, but it seems that there is a good chance that the last Hourra of Ranieri was as a leader of the Azzurri.
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Daniele de Rossi
The legend of Roma and Rossi Italy has not been a coach since his departure from Gallorossi last September, but he could present a tempting option as a player who knows what it is to win the World Cup with Italy, which did it in 2006.
De Rossi became the owner and president of the Serie d Club Ostiamare in January, but it is unlikely that these responsibilities would prevent him from jumping at the opportunity to lead the national team.
Gennaro Gattuso
Another member of the winning team of the World Cup 19 years ago, Gattuso has already had a career as nomadic coaches, working in Switzerland, Greece, France, Spain and Croatia as in Italy.
The only Argenne he has to show for his time in the canoe so is the COPPA Italia that he won with Napoli in 2020.
He left Hajduk in June, afterwards to having led them to a third place in which they missed the Croatian title of only two points.
Like Rossi, there would be questions as to whether Gattuso has the pedigree to direct his country, while the temperament could also be considered a concern.
Roberto Mancini
The powers in place in FIGC could be forgiven for a feeling of temptation concerning a return for the man who guided them for the success of the tournament.
But they would also be wise to remember that Mancini failed to obtain qualification for the 2022 World Cup, undergoing an infamous defeat against North Macedonia in the playoffs, and his stock has not increased since his resignation in 2023.
Mancini had a brief and unsuccessful fate as a boss of Saudi Arabia, with her most recent involvement in football at any level as a consultant for Sampdoria, who was relegated to Serie B this season. While Italy could aspire to the glory of Mancini delivered to Wembley in 2021, they would probably be better served by looking at a new era rather than trying to resume the past.
Roberto de Zerbi
Although the coaches of Italy who would otherwise be at the top of the FIGC list are inaccessible, there are reasons to think that De Zerbi could be precious in Marseille.
De Zerbi followed his impressive fate of Brighton and Hove Albion in the Premier League by leading Marseille to a second place in Ligue 1. Although they are well derived from the Paris Saint-Germain champions, a return to the Champions League represented a successful season for Marseille.
Grazie Mister, thank you coach! 🇮🇹
⚪️🔵 pic.twitter.com/9eb2pypa2e
– Olympique de Marseille 🇬🇧 🇺🇸 (@om_english) May 18, 2025
However, it was not a fully fluid first season in Provence for De Zerbi. It was reported by a mutiny of players in April after Zerbi refused to take a training after a 3-1 defeat against Reims. They were then rejected by De Zerbi and striker Neal Maupay at a press conference.
Marseille has lost only one of their last seven games after the defeat against Reims and Zerbi would have refused an approach to Tottenham to replace Angel Postoccolou. This would suggest that De Zerbi is happy at the Stade Velodrome, but the challenge of transforming Italy and qualifying for the World Cup could be more attractive than the apparently futile task of trying to interrupt the domination of PSG in France.
De Zerbi’s appointment seems unlikely, but it cannot be excluded.
