It is not a surprise to anyone that Italy’s national team manager Luciano Spalletti was fired after being run over by the small mountainous country that sits almost at the North Pole… Norway!.
Spalletti was already in trouble and when they shockingly (for everyone in Italy) went on a 3-0 loss against Norway in the qualification for the World Cup on Friday at Ullevaal stadium.
Although this was Italy’s first match, only one team from their five-team group qualifies directly for the World Cup, and Norway have won all three of their matches so far.
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By Sunday morning, it was widely reported that Spalletti was expecting to lose his job after a meeting with Italy’s Football Federation president, Gabriele Gravina, who called the defeat “unacceptable”.
No official announcement had been made by Sunday afternoon, but Spalletti broke the news by announcing the decision himself during a press conference.
He explained,
“Gravina told me that I will be relieved of my duties.
I’m sorry, but given the relationship we have, I had no intention of giving up. I would prefer to remain in my position and continue to do my job.
But now it’s a farewell, and I have to accept it. I want to end the contract. Until tomorrow night (Monday) I will still be the coach.”
Shortly after, a reporter asked Spalletti if he felt “betrayed” about losing his job.
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The Italian coach took a few seconds to think about the answer, before choosing to leave the room instead.
Despite announcing his resignation himself, Spalletti will preside over Italy’s second World Cup qualifier against North Macedonia on Monday before leaving the position.
The 66-year-old coach took over from Roberto Mancini in August 2023, after requesting a one-year leave from Napoli a few weeks earlier.
Under his leadership, Italy only managed to reach the round of 16 of Euro 2024 – a tournament they won under Mancini three years earlier – after a 2-0 defeat to Switzerland.
The defeat against Norway was Spalletti’s sixth defeat in just 21 games as a coach, and it eventually led to his resignation.
