The selection of Italy is going through one of its deepest crises and already has a provisional solution: the coach of the under-21 team, Silvio Baldini, will be in charge of leading the Nazionale in the June friendlies against Greece and Luxembourg.
The decision comes after the resignation of Gennaro Gattusowho left office after the hard blow of being left out of the 2026 World Cup, marking the Azzurra’s third consecutive absence from a World Cup.
Institutional and sports crisis in the FIGC
The panorama in Italian Football Federation It’s complex. Added to Gattuso’s departure is the resignation of its president, Gabriele Gravina, after the elimination on penalties against Bosnia.
Without clear leadership, the federation has opted for Baldini as a temporary solution while the new direction of Italian football is defined. The coach will coach the matches against Luxembourg (June 3) and Greece (June 7), both as visitors.
A coach with unconventional methods
Baldini does not go unnoticed. The strategist has gone viral for his unorthodox methods, such as training his players with an eye patch to improve concentration, an image that went around the world months ago.
His arrival represents a different bet at a time when Italy seeks to rebuild itself from a sporting and institutional point of view.
Conte, main candidate for the bench
Meanwhile, the federation will not make a final decision on the new coach until the end of June, when the new president will also be defined.
According to Italian media, the current Napoli coach, Antonio Conte, is the great favorite to take over, in what would be his return after leading the national team between 2014 and 2016.
Italy, four-time world champion, is thus experiencing a moment of critical transition, with its sights set on recovering its international prestige after years of disappointing results.
