The President of the Italian Football Federation, Gabriele Gravina, believes himself to be infallible and untouchable. Just like after the debacle in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers or the dreadful performance at the European Championship in Germany, the head of Italian football once again insists that everyone is to blame—except him. Despite being the one who appointed Roberto Mancini and Luciano Spalletti, he does not and has not taken any responsibility for the humiliations against North Macedonia, Switzerland, and Norway—failures that are only comparable to the defeat against North Korea at the 1966 World Cup.Ranieri’s career is a movie:✅ Took Cagliari from Serie C1 to Serie A✅ Took Fiorentina back to Serie A✅ Brought Juve back into UCL✅ Took Monaco back to Ligue 1✅ Won the Prem with Leicester✅ Took Cagliari from Serie B to Serie A…again✅ Came out of retirement to save… pic.twitter.com/yAbZ6qJkAC— Italian Football TV (@IFTVofficial) June 9, 2025 Gravina, in the style of an experienced politician, is once again trying to avoid the hot seat by bringing in a big, respected name favored by most of the footballing public. This time, the choice has fallen on Claudio Ranieri, hoping his charisma will spark optimism and sweep the problems of Italian football under the rug. Luciano Spalletti ruined Gravina’s plan to formalize a split with the coach after the match against Moldova. The unexpected move by the former coach of Roma, Inter, and Napoli exposed the unseriousness and amateurism of the Italian FA’s leadership: they fired the coach without having a ready alternative. The fact that Ranieri is very likely to accept one more challenge in his coaching career, and that the Friedkins may give the green light for his engagement with the Azzurri—let’s recall that Ranieri is under contract with Roma as a special advisor with executive authority—does not excuse the Italian FA leadership or diminish their rookie-level mistake.Spalletti announces his future sack as the Italy coachIn Ranieri’s case, the saying “third time’s the charm” might come true: after retiring from coaching with Cagliari and Roma, Claudio may well end his career on Italy’s bench—hopefully at the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Mexico, and Canada. Simply put, when things get tough, the answer is Ranieri. That was the case in Cagliari a few years ago, again last fall with Roma, and it might be the same this summer with Italy. The good and generous heart of “Sir Claudio” doesn’t know how to say no to his great loves. The alternative to Ranieri is Stefano Pioli. However, the Italian FA must act quickly, as Pioli is very close to reaching an agreement to return as Fiorentina’s head coach.Serie A recap: Napoli’s Scudetto in a photo finish, Inter’s collapse on all fronts, and the club that waited 50 yearsSpalletti, with tears in his eyes, announced his departure from the Azzurri. To be fair, the past two years have confirmed what many already suspected: Luciano doesn’t have what it takes to be a national team manager. Being an excellent coach doesn’t automatically mean you’re suited to lead a national squad—and vice versa. Ironically, Spalletti’s best move came at the end, when he preempted Gravina and announced a mutual contract termination with the national team—without demanding a single euro in severance or one extra day’s pay beyond his actual tenure.##NAJAVA_MECA_8967326##Luciano failed to create the right atmosphere within the team or to build unity—both key elements for any successful national campaign. He was also unlucky, as the key players in the match against Norway were way below their usual level—virtually unrecognizable. Out of form, in poor physical condition, and lacking the crucial bond of trust with the coach, a disaster was inevitable. One of the main reasons cited for the sudden split between Spalletti and the Italian FA is his reportedly cold or poor relationship with most of the squad. President Gravina allegedly spoke with all the “senators” of the team, who confirmed the absence of the necessary harmony between the captain of the national ship and its crew. Now he will try to install Ranieri to remedy that, but the reports suggest that the Roma advisor will only accept the job if the club’s owners allow him to do both jobs. If not, his priority will be Roma.
