The Italian coach Gennaro Gattuso insisted that now is not the right time to discuss his future after Italy's national team lost on penalties following a 1-1 draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the playoff match for the 2026 World Cup qualification. However, he hinted at deeper issues within Italian football.

The Azzurri managed to hold on until the 79th minute when Haris Tabakovic scored the equalizer following a great save by Gianluigi Donnarumma from an Edin Dzeko attempt. The Italian team tried to secure the win in extra time despite being a man down, but ultimately failed and lost in the penalty shootout.

Gattuso told Sky Sport Italia: "I just spoke with the players, and I thank them. It's been years since I've seen the team play with such spirit. The pain is there, but it must be accepted. I don't want to talk about the referees or anything else. We could have scored the second goal and we didn't, but we gave it our all."

He added: "I am proud of the players, and it pains me to accept this judgment. It will take some time. On a personal level, it's a heavy blow."

Regarding his future after failing to qualify for the World Cup, he said: "We'll see, but I don't think it's the right time to talk about my future or anyone else's. This is football; sometimes it makes you celebrate, and sometimes you suffer."

He concluded regarding the issues in Italian football: "I won't delve into this debate, I'm a coach. Everyone knows that Italian football has been facing difficulties for several years, and there are people who know more than I do about what needs to be improved, so we'll see."