Gianluigi Buffon has stepped down as head of delegation for Italy's national team, following the resignation of Italian Football Federation president Gabriele Gravina. The moves come after Italy's penalty shootout loss to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the World Cup play-off final. The defeat means Italy will miss a third consecutive tournament.
Italy suffered a heartbreaking exit from World Cup qualification on March 30, losing on penalties to Bosnia and Herzegovina in Zenica after beating Northern Ireland 2-0 in the play-off semi-finals. The Azzurri finished behind Norway in their EURO 2024 group and fell to Switzerland in the last 16 of that tournament in Germany. This failure prompted immediate leadership changes at the top of Italian football. Gabriele Gravina, 72, confirmed his resignation as FIGC president after a meeting at the federation's Rome headquarters. He had led since 2018, overseeing Italy's Euro 2020 triumph but struggling with repeated World Cup absences and a poor Euro 2024 defense. A new presidential election is set for June, with Giovanni Malago a potential candidate. Buffon, 48, was appointed head of delegation in August 2023, shortly before Roberto Mancini's dismissal as coach. He stayed on through transitions to Luciano Spalletti and then Gennaro Gattuso last June. Reports indicate Gattuso, whose contract ends this summer, may also depart soon.
