Luciano Spalletti will remain as coach of the Italian national team despite their exit from Euro 2024 in the last 16, the president of the country’s football federation announced on Sunday.
Italy, the defending champion, bid farewell to the continental championship hosted by Germany, by Switzerland 0-2 in Berlin on Saturday, but this exit did not cost Spalletti (65 years old) his position.
Italian Federation President Gabriele Gravina told reporters, “I am a practical person. It is impossible to solve problems by abandoning a long-term project, or dispensing with the coach and players who accompanied us in this project.”
Italy, led by Spalletti, who succeeded Roberto Mancini last summer, did not deliver as expected in Germany, which also missed the last two World Cups.
“Spalletti has our confidence, he must have our confidence, he needs to work, the Nations League starts in 60 days,” Gravina added.
🚨🇮🇹 Italian Federation has decided to confirm Luciano Spalletti as head coach.
Spalletti will stay as Italy coach at least until World Cup 2026: “My mission will be to make this squad even younger.” pic.twitter.com/q8zPn3g1Wj
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 30, 2024
“We cannot imagine that a player like (Kylian) Mbappe or Cristiano Ronaldo will suddenly appear (in the Italian national team), so we must be patient,” he continued.
On the other hand, Fabricio Romano, a reliable Italian journalist, confirmed in a tweet on his account on the X platform that Spalletti will remain at the helm of the Azzurri at least until the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Spalletti took over the job after leading Napoli to the league title in the 2022-2023 season, but the national team appeared modest after making many changes to the lineup and style of play, in addition to being severely criticized by journalists.
The coach said before the start of the continental tournament that he would present the best version, in the biggest job in his long and eventful career.
Asked if he had achieved that, he said, “Of course not, because if I had, I would be talking about something else here.”
He added, “Yesterday’s match, Saturday, brought us back to square one, and from there we have to start again.”
Italy begins its campaign in the European Nations League by facing France in Paris on September 6th, in the second group, which also includes Belgium and Israel.
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