"An unacceptable disgrace": Politicians call for the resignation of the federation president following Italy's World Cup disaster

Gravina, however, is not considering resigning. "We have convened a meeting of the Football Association’s executive committee for next week. I understand the calls for immediate resignations, but according to the statutes, such decisions lie with the federation’s executive committee,” Gravina, who has been head of the Italian Football Federation since 2018, was quoted as saying in the Italian media. He also said he had asked manager Gennaro Gattuso to “remain in his post”, the FIGC boss added.

"The 'objective responsibility for this situation'," Gravina continued, "lies with the Football Association; it lies with me." Gravina sees a "major crisis; Italian football needs to be overhauled." However, he stressed after the third consecutive World Cup exit that this is not just about the federation: "There are the leagues, there are the clubs. That is why we need a more comprehensive review of what needs to be changed."

The future of sporting director Gianluigi Buffon is also uncertain following Tuesday evening’s 1-4 defeat on penalties against Bosnia and Herzegovina. "We need to take our time after this defeat. The season ends in June. Over the next three months, I will continue to be at the disposal of the association, which has shown faith in me," said Buffon. "Our goal was to qualify for the World Cup. This failure hurts, and there is a danger," he added, "that people will not react rationally because of the disappointment."