'Everything consumes me, nothing slips away' - Luciano Spalletti insists he would never resign from Italy job and had to 'force' director to tell him of sacking

Italy boss Spalletti confirmed during a pre-game press conference that he will leave his role as head coach after the World Cup qualifier against Moldova, following a 3-0 defeat to Norway that effectively ended his tenure. Despite refusing to resign, Spalletti revealed while speaking to RaiSport(via Gianluca Di Marzio), saying he had “forced” the director to inform him of the decision. He will step down after tonight’s match.

Spalletti’s short spell as Azzurri boss ends in disappointment after failing to rejuvenate the team post-Euro 2024. His departure opens the door for former Leicester City and Roma manager Claudio Ranieri or former manager of AC Milan Stefano Pioli, with Juventus also reportedly eyeing Spalletti for next season. Italy’s 2026 World Cup qualification hopes now hang in the balance.

Spalletti made it clear that his exit was not voluntary while speaking to RaiSport(via Gianluca Di Marzio), insisting he had to be pushed out of the role despite his belief in the team’s future: “I am super convinced that Italy will go to the World Cup. I did not resign, I would not have resigned. You fire me, I sign the resolution because money has never been a problem in my career. The national team is different from a club.”

He also reflected emotionally on the turmoil of recent days, admitting how deeply he internalised the fallout from Italy’s World Cup qualifying struggles: “In these situations it depends a lot on how you are made, on what you put into things. It becomes difficult for me to fall asleep when something like this happens to you. Everything consumes me, nothing slips away from me. The victories more than the defeats, imagine what a night you get through but, slowly, as time passes, you take note. Could the epilogue have been different? I thought about it, but you can't go back. Some choices made turned out to be wrong.”

Italy must regroup quickly to revive their World Cup hopes, with a decision on the next manager expected soon. Whether Ranieri, Pioli, or another candidate takes charge, the FIGC faces urgent pressure to stabilise the squad and reignite belief within the Azzurri camp. Currently fourth in Group I, they are in a precarious position. Their next fixture, a must-win World Cup qualifier against Moldova, could define the tone of their campaign. That clash will be followed by key matches against Estonia and Israel during the September international break.