World Cup Or Exile! Gennaro Gattuso Takes Dramatic Vow Amid Italy's 2026 FIFA WC Hopes

Last Updated:October 16, 2025, 20:11 IST

Gennaro Gattuso has vowed to restore Azzurri’s FIFA World Cup glory or leave Italy altogether to live' far away'.

Italy head coach Gennaro Gattuso (X)

Gennaro Gattuso has never been one to back down from a challenge — on the pitch or off it.

The former AC Milan midfield enforcer, now Italy’s head coach, made headlines after Italy’s final matchday in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

Gattuso’s Azzurri demolished Israel 3-0 thanks to a brace from Mateo Retegui and a strike from Gianluca Mancini, extending the coach’s perfect record to four wins from four games.

Despite the emphatic victory, Italy still sit second in Group I with 15 points, three behind Norway (18 points, +26), who are on track for direct qualification.

A 3-0 defeat to Norway in June, combined with an inferior goal difference, means Italy will likely face the knockout play-offs to secure a spot at the 2026 World Cup.

Clearly frustrated by the situation, Gattuso made a blunt promise.

“I’ll take credit if I manage to achieve my goal [qualify for the World Cup], otherwise I’ll go and live far away from Italy. I’m already a bit far away, I’ll go even further," Gattuso stated to reporters.

He also reflected on the responsibility of the role.

“Being here is a dream for me: there were people like me who were much more experienced than me. So, I took this call with great responsibility."

Gattuso now faces the task of restoring Italy’s fortunes on the world stage.

The Azzurri, four-time World Cup winners, have endured a difficult era, failing to qualify in 2018 and 2022 and crashing out in the group stages in 2010 and 2014.

With Gattuso at the helm, Italy will be desperate to return to their former glory.

Siddarth Sriram

After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term...Read More

After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term...

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