Claudio Ranieri will not be the next head coach of Italy. It had seemed like a done deal: the Friedkins (though not exactly enthusiastic) had given their approval, and the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) was willing to accept a part-time manager who would continue his executive role in Roma’s rebuilding project.
Initially, Ranieri had been open to the idea of returning to the bench — for the second time, after announcing his retirement just a year ago — to help rescue Italian soccer from the looming threat of missing a third consecutive World Cup. But he asked for some time to carefully evaluate the situation.
During that period, while Ranieri was considering the offer, the FIGC had already prepared a contract that would allow him to manage both roles: overseeing Roma’s affairs while also taking charge of the national team. However, yesterday morning came the definitive answer: Ranieri felt he could not go back on the promise he made to Roma fans — to be fully committed to the club’s revival, which hasn’t seen Champions League football since the 2018-19 season. Coaching the national team would have required time and energy that he didn’t feel he could take away from Roma. His understandable and final refusal, firm and non-negotiable, was met with excitement among Roma supporters but left the Federation concerned and scrambling. FIGC president Gabriele Gravina had placed all his hopes on Ranieri and must now urgently find an alternative, having already dismissed Luciano Spalletti before securing a replacement.
Confusion now reigns, and it seems that to get Italy back on track, the Federation is considering turning to one of the 2006 World Cup heroes, with Gennaro Gattuso reportedly leading the race ahead of Fabio Cannavaro and Daniele De Rossi. It would be a young and unconventional choice — quite at odds with both the tradition of Italian football and, more broadly, with the country’s general approach — but perhaps, at this stage, a dangerous gamble. Young managers need time to build and execute a long-term project; instead, Italy faces the urgent task of qualifying in the coming months for a World Cup that will be played in the U.S. exactly one year from now.
At this point, the American Dream is starting to feel like little more than a mirage.
