Following Italy’s failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, former goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon resigned from his role as head of delegation with the national football team.
According to Naija News, Italy’s most recent setback was a play-off loss to Bosnia and Herzegovina, where the four-time world champions were defeated 4-1 on penalties.
Italy has now missed three consecutive tournaments after failing to qualify for both the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups. This outcome prolongs an unprecedented drought.
In a statement, Buffon, who was a part of Italy’s winning team at the 2006 FIFA World Cup, announced his resignation, describing it as “an act of responsibility.”
The 48-year-old acknowledged that the primary goal of getting Italy back to the World Cup had not been accomplished, according to BBC Sport. He had been working closely with the national team setup.
His departure comes after Gabriele Gravina resigned as president of the Italian Football Federation in response to growing criticism regarding the team’s ongoing difficulties on the global scene.
Buffon claimed that his choice was unavoidable due to the changes in leadership. He stated, “It’s fair to give those who will come after the freedom to select the figure they believe is best to play my role.”
