Italy‘s soccer federation president resigned amid political pressure on Thursday, two days after the national team failed to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup.
Gabriele Gravina’s decision was quickly followed by Gianluigi Buffon stepping down as the national team’s delegation chief and will likely lead to the ouster of Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso, too.
Italy sports minister Andrea Abodi had called for a change in the country’s soccer leadership after Gravina oversaw two sets of disappointing World Cup qualifiers.
“It’s evident to everyone that Italian soccer needs to be overhauled,” Abodi said on Wednesday, “and that process needs to start with new leadership at the FIGC [federation].”
Italy’s chances of reaching this year’s tournament in North America ended on Tuesday after a penalty shootout loss to Bosnia and Herzegovina in a qualifying playoff.
Buffon was the goalkeeper on the World Cup-winning 2006 team and is Italy’s record holder with 176 appearances as a player. He was behind Gattuso’s hiring.
“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 honor and a passion that has embodied me since I was a kid.”
Gravina took charge of the federation in 2018 replacing Carlo Tavecchio, who also stepped down after Italy failed to reach that year’s World Cup.
The defeat to Bosnia added more misery for four-time champion Italy after being eliminated by Sweden and North Macedonia, respectively, in the qualifying playoffs for the past two World Cups.
Italy’s World Cup struggles go back all the way to 2010 and 2014 when it failed to advance from its group on both occasions.
The Azzurri’s last World Cup knockout match was in 2006 when they won the title by beating France in the final after a penalty shootout.
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Gravina did oversee Italy’s European Championship trophy in 2021.
“Soccer has been in trouble since 2006,” Italian coaches association president Renzo Ulivieri said.
Players’ association president Umberto Calcagno said new regulations promoting the use of more Italian players in Serie A were necessary: “A rapid change needs to be made.”
An election was called for June 22 to elect a new FIGC president.
Gravina also announced that he would attend a hearing in Italy’s parliament next Wednesday to discuss “the well-being of Italian soccer.”
Gravina is also Aleksander Ceferin’s top vice president at UEFA.
UEFA statutes require that executive committee members are also senior FA officials, but Gravina could stay in the UEFA role as a lame duck as long as the FIGC’s new leadership doesn’t demand his removal.
Gravina was reelected last year by UEFA so he has three more years in his current term.
“Gabriele is my first vice president and is very important to me,” Ceferin said in Thursday’s Gazzetta dello Sport after attending the playoff in Bosnia.
Besides revitalizing the national team, whoever replaces Gravina will be tasked with getting Italy’s dilapidated stadiums ready to host the 2032 European Championship.
Italy is slated to co-host Euro 2032 with Turkey.
“I hope that the infrastructure is ready,” Ceferin said. “Otherwise the tournament won’t be played in Italy.”
