Gennaro Gattuso, the coach of Italy, has confessed that there is no way one can avoid getting nervous, as the Azzurri can be seen teetering on the edge of another possible break in the FIFA World Cup 2026. Before their fateful playoff match with Northern Ireland on March 27, Gattuso said that only someone with no blood in their veins would not be feeling the heat of the moment.
The victorious former World Cup player, whose passionate personality was seen in his playing days, now has a project of guiding Italy out of a frightening outcome, that of failing to qualify to play in a third consecutive World Cup.
Italy has very little experience of high-stakes situations in such a situation, having lost to Sweden and North Macedonia in the playoffs of the previous two events.
Selection calls and high-stakes pressure for Italy
The road to the 2026 FIFA World Cup for Italy has already been made difficult due to poor performances, such as being defeated by Norway during the qualifiers. The Azzurri now have to beat Northern Ireland at home in Bergamo and then beat either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina in an away match to qualify.
The level of stakes is massive, and an opportunity to miss the opportunity to perform in the largest event in football looms large, at least for 16 years.
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Among the bold decisions that Gattuso has already made before the match, the highest has been the decision to send winger Federico Chiesa back to Liverpool after a short period of rejoining the national team.
Although the mentioned minor physical concerns were given as the official motive, Gattuso made some suggestions that there were underlying motives to the decision, as he indicated that mentality was one of the causes. Contrastingly, injured men such as Sandro Tonali, Gianluca Scamacca and Alessandro Bastoni have been with the team, which underlines the emphasis the coach has on the mindset and dedication.
Gattuso banks on Italy's mentality shift to spark revival
Federico Chiesa, who could shine during the successful European Championship conquest in Italy, has had problems with his regularity at the club level over the last several seasons. His low playing time in Liverpool has contributed even more towards doubts about his form and fitness.
Gattuso, on his part, has placed great emphasis on team building, but in unorthodox methods, where, aided by dinners, the players of the team convene in various venues, as opposed to the conventional training camp.
Another place that has been selected by the coach to host the playoff is Bergamo, where the coach hopes to get a more favourable environment than in bigger stadiums, where the divisions of fans can affect morale. Looking back at the previous disappointments, such as a second-half collapse against Norway, which was motivated by Erling Haaland, Gattuso emphasised the need to manage any form of misfortune in a more constructive way.
In spite of the failures experienced by Italy, Gattuso is also inspired by the success of the country in other sports, hoping that it can influence his team. To date, though, all will depend on a single defining game, a game that will bring Italy back to the World Cup or sink their already-sinking ship.
