Heavy 3-0 loss to Norway costs Spalletti his job, Moldova clash to be his last game in charge of Italy

Key Takeaways:

• Luciano Spalletti was sacked just minutes before his press conference for the Moldova match
• Italy’s 0-3 loss to Norway reduced their chances for direct World Cup qualification
• Spalletti confirmed today’s match will be his last and addressed his exit openly

Italy will be looking for a new head coach. Luciano Spalletti will no longer hold the position, the local football federation officially announced. The Azzurri dismissed the Italian on Sunday, just minutes before his scheduled press conference ahead of today’s World Cup qualifier against Moldova.

The match will be Spalletti’s final one in charge of the Squadra Azzurra, after which both sides will formalise their separation with the necessary paperwork. His dismissal comes after a 3-0 away defeat to Norway, a result that significantly reduced Italy’s chances of qualifying directly for next year’s World Cup.

🚨🇮🇹 BREAKING: SPALLETTI HAS BEEN SACKED BY ITALY!

Spalletti just revealed in his pre-match press conference that FIGC president Gravina told him yesterday he’s been relieved of his duties as Italy manager.

He’ll still be on the bench for tomorrow’s match against Moldova —… pic.twitter.com/SRrUjfLoRV

— Italian Football TV (@IFTVofficial) June 8, 2025

“I’m sorry I couldn’t reach the level of play I wanted. When I accepted the role of national team coach, I knew there would be difficult moments in building unity with the players, but I didn’t succeed. For me, one loss isn’t the end of the world, and I still believe we can qualify for the World Cup. I said the same to the president (Gabriele Gravina). The players know they didn’t perform well against Norway, and I hope they show a different face tomorrow. There’s no point dwelling on the past, because we can’t change it. We simply have to defend the honour of this shirt. If the players perform well and keep getting called up, then it really means I was the problem,” said Spalletti.

Italy has not qualified for a World Cup since 2014, and at last summer’s European Championship, they were eliminated in the round of 16.