Capello: ‘Gattuso should wait two games before leaving Italy job’
Capello: ‘Gattuso should wait two games before leaving Italy job’ Fabio Capello has urged Gennaro Gattuso to ‘wait for the next two games’ before deciding if he will quit as Italy coach. ‘We paid the price for an individual player error. ’ The failure to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup has seen an inevitable run of resignations at the top of Italian football, starting with FIGC President Gabriele Gravina and delegation chief Gianluigi Buffon.
Gattuso is widely expected to follow suit, but former England and Russia national team manager Capello is encouraging him to postpone that decision until June. Capello would like to see more of Gattuso UDINE, ITALY – OCTOBER 14: Gennaro Gattuso, Head Coach of Italy, interacts with Gianluigi Donnarumma of Italy after the team’s victory in the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier match between Italy and Israel at Stadio Friuli on October 14, 2025 in Udine, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images) “I would wait for the next two games before making any decision on Gattuso,” Capello told Sky Sport Italia.
“Let us not forget he took over the team with the qualifying campaign already begun under Luciano Spalletti, and he managed to bring character and determination to the side. “Unfortunately, and it is sad to say this, but we paid the price for an individual player error that was elementary, otherwise we probably would’ve taken home the result. ” Italy were leading 1-0 in the World Cup play-off final against Bosnia and Herzegovina when Alessandro Bastoni was sent off for an ill-timed lunge.
When down to 10 men for over an hour, they scraped a 1-1 draw after extra time, losing the penalty shoot-out. MILAN, ITALY – NOVEMBER 16: Referee, Alejandro Hernandez, shows a yellow card to Gennaro Gattuso, Head Coach of Italy, during the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier match between Italy and Norway at San Siro Stadium on November 16, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images) Gattuso had only eight games in charge for Italy, overseeing six victories, one defeat, and one draw with loss on penalties.
There are several names being mentioned to take over from Gattuso, including Antonio Conte and Roberto Mancini, who had the job before. “We’ll have to see not just what they won in the past, but also the way that some of them left the role. There are many things to be evaluated here,” warned Capello.