Outgoing head of the Italian soccer affiliation Gabriele Gravina says that requires Italy to exchange on the 2026 World Cup are ‘shameful’, that the Azzurri supporters are ‘the one ones who should go’, however insists ‘I don’t suppose I failed’ within the function of FIGC President.
Gravina from the FIGC shortly after within the World Cup play-off last on the finish of March, which value the Nazionale a spot on the last event for a 3rd time in a row.
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An election to nominate Gravina’s successor will happen on June 22. Giovanni Malagò and Giancarlo Abete are the 2 main candidates to take over the function.
Gravina had a chance to debate his departure from the FIGC, his tenure as the pinnacle of the Italian FA and the options that Italy may nonetheless characteristic on the 2026 World Cup in an interview on ‘Otto e mezzo’ on La7.
Gravina insists that he was not ‘pressured’ into stepping down from his function as FIGC President in any manner following Italy’s failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
Gravina on FIGC tenure and Italy on the 2026 World Cup proposal: ‘I don’t suppose I failed, followers the one ones who should go’
ROME, ITALY – JUNE 19: , Italy new head coach Gennaro Gattuso and FIGC president Gabriele Gravina pose in the course of the press convention at Lodge Parco dei Principi on June 19, 2025 in Rome, Italy. (Picture by Paolo Bruno/Getty Pictures)
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“I wasn’t compelled to resign, completely not. It was my private selection. I made a dedication to Italian soccer followers that we’d get to the World Cup and sadly I wasn’t capable of hold true to this dedication,” mentioned Gravina (by way of ).
He continued: “It was proper to resign, a gesture of affection and duty.
“I’m not one to be pressured, I purpose with my head and with calmness. This was an act of duty for the federation. There was institutional hysteria occurring everywhere, it was good to not go away the FIGC over-exposed.”
Even supposing Italy’s senior males’s aspect didn’t qualify for the World Cup twice throughout Gravina’s FIGC Presidency, he doesn’t imagine that his whole tenure ought to be classed as a failure.
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He was eager to level out that there’s multiple nationwide staff that the FIGC oversees and claimed that sure complaints from supporters relate to points that the FIGC has no management over.
“I don’t suppose I failed,” Gravina insisted. “If we’re speaking about small incidents, then after all, I failed, but when we wish to discuss concerning the exercise in all its kinds and all of the tasks we carried out, our federation is among the many most appreciated in Europe and on this planet.
ZENICA, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA – MARCH 31: (L-R) Italy Minister of Sport Andrea Abodi, President of CONI Luciano Buonfiglio and President of FIGC Gabriele Gravina look on prior the FIFA World Cup 2026 European Qualifiers KO play-offs match between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Italy at Stadion Bilino Polje on March 31, 2026 in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina. (Picture by Getty Pictures/Getty Pictures)
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“Italians attribute obligations to the FIGC that the FIGC doesn’t have. There may be confusion about roles. We’ve not gone to the World Cup 3 times and the sample is at all times the identical, in search of a scapegoat. Everyone seems to be satisfied that the nationwide staff gamers rely on the FIGC, however there are leagues, competitions and sure guidelines and legal guidelines that need to be revered.
“We’re evaluating the work that the federation does primarily based off one single nationwide staff, however there are a lot of, female and male.”
Gravina additionally stands by the truth that he feels Gravina was the proper man to take over as head coach of the Italy nationwide staff following the departure of Luciano Spalletti as CT final summer time.
BERGAMO, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 05: Coach Gennaro Gattuso of Italy appears to be like on previous to the Nationwide anthems previous to the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier match between Italy and Estonia at Stadio di Bergamo on September 05, 2025 in Bergamo, Italy. (Picture by Mattia Ozbot/Getty Pictures)
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“For me, he was completely the proper man for the job. He was the perfect and at that second we wanted somebody who would assist the fellows rediscover the values that the shirt holds. However sadly, the sporting aspect of it was lacking.”
And on the current options that Italy may doubtlessly substitute Iran on the 2026 World Cup, Gravina mentioned: “It appears to me to be a whimsical and shameful thought. We’re negotiating for the fervour of the Italian followers, who’re the one ones who should go to the World Cup.”