Italian manager Luciano Spalletti has officially been dismissed from his role as head coach of the national team following a disappointing 3-0 defeat against Norway in the opening match of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. During a prematch press conference before the game against Moldova, Spalletti announced the decision made by the Italian FA and expressed his regret over leaving the position he has held since August 2023. “The FA president Gabriele Gravina informed me that I will be relieved of my role as head coach of the national team after the match against Moldova. I’m sorry, I would have preferred to stay and try to change things,” he remarked.

“Keep saying that I haven’t found a connection with the players, tell me with whom. Name names.” - Luciano Spalletti
“（与球员之间的联系） 继续说我没有与球员建立联系，告诉我和谁。名字。”

As Italy seeks to avoid another World Cup qualification disaster after failing to qualify in 2018 and 2022, two primary candidates have emerged to potentially take over from Spalletti: former coach Stefano Pioli, currently at Al-Nassr, and the legendary Claudio Ranieri, known for leading Leicester City to an unprecedented Premier League victory nearly a decade ago.