Gianluigi Buffon has joined Italian Football Federation chief Gabriele Gravina in resigning after Italy failed to qualify for the World Cup for the third time in a row.
One of the most glittering football nations historically, the Azzurri could not fend off Bosnia and Herzogovina in a play-off final, losing on penalties after surrendering an early lead.
It means Italy’s wait for a first World Cup appearance since 2014 will go on for at least another four years, with Bosnia serving up this latest humiliation for the four-time winners.
Italy sports minister Andrea Abodi had called for a change in leadership of the country’s football federation (FIGC) after Gravina oversaw two sets of disappointing World Cup qualifiers, and he has now bowed to the rising political pressure and left his role.
Gravina’s decision was quickly followed by Gianluigi Buffon stepping down as the national team’s delegation chief.
“It’s only fair to leave to those who come after me the freedom of selecting who will replace me,” Buffon said. “Representing the national team is an honoue and a passion that has embodied me since I was a kid.”
The federation will hold an extraordinary assembly on 22 June to elect a new chief, while Gravina offered to appear before a parliamentary committee on 8 April “to report on the state of health of Italian football”, a statement said.
Following Gravina’s departure, Gennaro Gattuso is expected to similarly be ousted as manager, who replaced Luciano Spalletti early in the qualification campaign after defeat to Norway.
That is because Gattuso is now without one of his key supporters, with Gravina saying after the defeat to Bosnia that he had asked the former AC Milan midfielder to stay on.
He said: “I want to congratulate Rino Gattuso. He is a great coach, I asked him to stay at the helm with these boys. There is little to comment, the coach called them heroic. Then, I understand there are several evaluations to be made.”
Gattuso, meanwhile, had refused to speak about his future after Italy’s World Cup failure.
“Today talking about my future is not important, it was important to go to the World Cup,” he said. “We hold onto this performance, but it hurts and I’m sorry.”
Italy, who were World Cup champions as recently as 2006, took the lead in Zenica through Moise Kean but after going down to 10 men, they were hauled back by Bosnia as Haris Tankovic snatched an equaliser, pushing the tie into extra-time and subsequently penalties.
Bosnia were perfect from the spot, but Pio Esposito and Bryan Cristante missed to ensure Gattuso’s side will sit at home this summer despite the tournament expanding to 48 teams.
Gattuso was emotional and apologetic after the match, saying: “I’m sorry, this is football and I’m proud of my boys.
“It hurts, because we needed it for us, for all of Italy and for our movement. A blow that’s difficult to digest.”
