Gabriele Gravina has stepped down as president of the Italian Football Federation following Italy’s failure to qualify for a third consecutive FIFA World Cup.
Gravina resigned on Thursday amid mounting political pressure, just two days after the Azzurri were eliminated from the qualification race after a penalty shootout defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team in a playoff clash.
His departure is also expected to have ripple effects within the national team setup, with head coach Gennaro Gattuso likely to follow suit.
Italy’s Sports Minister, Andrea Abodi, had earlier called for sweeping reforms in the country’s football leadership, stressing the need for a fresh start. “It’s evident to everyone that Italian soccer needs to be overhauled, and that process needs to start with new leadership,” he said.
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Gravina, who took office in 2018 after replacing Carlo Tavecchio, leaves amid a prolonged period of underperformance for the national team. Italy have now missed three straight World Cups, having previously fallen short against Sweden national football team and North Macedonia national football team in earlier qualification playoffs.
The Azzurri’s struggles date back to 2010 and 2014, when they exited at the group stage, with their last World Cup triumph coming in 2006 after defeating France national football team in the final.
Despite recent setbacks, Gravina’s tenure included a major success, overseeing Italy’s victory at the 2021 UEFA European Championship.
An election to appoint a new federation president has been scheduled for June 22, while Gravina is also expected to appear before parliament next week to address concerns about the future of Italian football.