Former AC Milan and Napoli manager Gennaro Gattuso has been appointed Italy national team coach, the Italian football federation (FIGC) confirmed on Sunday.
Gattuso replaces Luciano Spalletti, who was sacked last week following a heavy defeat by Norway in a World Cup qualifier. The former midfielder will be formally introduced as coach on Thursday at Rome's Parco dei Principi Hotel.
"Gattuso is a symbol of Italian football - the blue jersey is like a second skin for him. His motivations, his professionalism and his experience will be fundamental to best face the upcoming commitments of the National Team," FIGC President Gabriele Gravina said in a statement.
Gattuso, 47, made 73 appearances for Italy and was a member of the 2006 World Cup-winning squad. He recently left Croatian club Hajduk Split by mutual consent, after a third-placed finish in the country's top flight.
Claudio Ranieri had been the FIGC's first choice, but the 73-year-old turned down the offer to focus on his senior advisor role at AS Roma.
Gattuso began his managerial career as player coach at Swiss club Sion in 2013 where he finished his playing days after 13 seasons with AC Milan but was fired after winning two of his 10 league games in charge.
His only trophy as manager came at Napoli, lifting the Coppa Italia in 2020, in a 12-year career in which he has taken charge at nine clubs, including AC Milan, Valencia and a five-month spell at Olympique de Marseille.
Gattuso was appointed as Fiorentina manager in 2021, but 22 days later the club announced they had mutually rescinded the agreement, with reports citing disagreements over transfer strategy.
The 47-year-old will be tasked with getting Italy to next year's World Cup, after they missed out on the last two tournaments, and will begin on the back foot after the humbling loss in Oslo.
