2026-04-01 10:35:29
Gennaro Gattuso says that Italy’s latest World Cup failure is “hard to digest”.
The Azzurri will be absent for a third successive World Cup after losing on penalties following a 1-1 draw with Bosnia and Herzegovina in Tuesday’s (31.03.26) play-off clash and the coach found the heartbreaking defeat difficult to stomach for his 10-man side.
A tearful Gattuso told broadcaster RAI: “Today the boys didn’t deserve a beating like this.
“We were left with 10 players, we had three decent chances and they barely troubled us. I’m sorry, this is football and I’m proud of my boys.
“It hurts, because we needed it for us, for all of Italy and for our movement. A blow that’s difficult to digest.”
Italy had defender Alessandro Bastoni sent off in the first half and Gattuso was left nursing a sense of injustice after Bosnia’s Tarik Muharemovic avoided dismissal for a similar foul.
He said: “I don’t want to talk about anything, but today it’s unfair.
“I have been in the world of football for years, sometimes I have rejoiced and today I take a beating. It’s hard to digest, they surprised me too for the heart they put into it.
“We’re talking for the umpteenth time that we don’t go to the World Cup. I apologise if I didn’t make it, but the boys impressed me today.”
Gattuso became Italy boss last June but refused to comment on his future following the failure to reach this summer’s tournament in North America.
The former Azzurri midfielder said: “Today talking about my future is not important, it was important to go to the World Cup.
“We hold onto this performance, but it hurts and I’m sorry.”
The head of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) Gabriele Gravina revealed that he had asked Gattuso to stay on as manager of the four-time World Cup winners.
He said: “The mood is quite evident, especially for how this result has matured.
“Allow me to congratulate the boys, in recent months they have had incredible growth, many of you have not been able to appreciate the climate and atmosphere in recent months.
“I want to congratulate Rino Gattuso. He is a great coach, I asked him to stay at the helm with these boys. There is little to comment, the coach called them heroic. Then, I understand there are several evaluations to be made.”
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