Gattuso says Italy needs a different mentality to avoid missing another World Cup

ROME (AP) — Gennaro Gattuso is approaching his new job as the coach of an Italy squad in crisis with the same determination and combativeness he used to display on the field as a gritty midfielder.

Replacing the fired Luciano Spalletti, with the four-time champion Azzurri in real danger of failing to qualify for a third straight World Cup, Gattuso knows there’s no room for errors.

“I know it’s not an easy job but nothing is easy in life,” Gattuso said at his presentation Thursday. “There’s not much to say. There’s work to do.

“I need to get inside the players’ heads. I hear often that we don’t have the talent or good enough players anymore. But I think we have the players. We just need to put the players in condition to succeed. We need to get Italy back to the World Cup. That’s fundamental.”

Spalletti was fired after Italy lost its opening qualifier 3-0 at Norway. The Azzurri are already nine points behind Norway in their World Cup qualifying group — albeit having played two matches fewer than the leader.

Gattuso’s debut will be at home to Estonia on Sept. 5. Israel is also in the five-team Group I.

Italy hosts Norway in the final round on Nov. 16. Only the group winner advances directly to next year’s tournament co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. The runner-up enters playoff brackets to be played next March.

That was the stage where Italy was eliminated by Sweden and North Macedonia and ruled out of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, respectively.

But Italy’s struggles go back further, with the Azzurri having failed to advance past the group phase at the 2010 and 2014 World Cups.

Gattuso, however, remains identified as one of the main catalysts of its run to the title in 2006.

“He responded without any hesitation to our call and with the same enthusiasm as when he was called up as a player to the national team,” Italian soccer federation president Gabriele Gravina said.

“And not simply enthusiasm. It’s really a lot more: great spirit of sacrifice, great professionalism and diligence. He told me right away that nobody wins alone, that you win as a squad and a group.”

Gattuso said he wants to set a new standard of dedication whereby even injured players remain at the national team’s training center.

“We have plenty of physical therapists and medical staff,” Gattuso said. “If I had listened to my body, I would have played 50 fewer matches. We need to go beyond our limits.”

Gattuso said he had already made calls to 35 players, including Federico Chiesa.

Chiesa was a standout on the Italy team that won the European Championship in 2021 but hasn’t played much since leaving Juventus for Liverpool last year.

“I told Chiesa that he needs to find a way to play more regularly,” Gattuso said.

One player who Gattuso did not call was 37-year-old defender Francesco Acerbi, who turned down his call up for the Norway match, where he was expected to mark Erling Haaland.

“I respect him,” Gattuso said. “But I called other, younger players who I think can offer us something.”

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Italian former player Gianluigi Buffon, left, talks to reporters during a press conference with newly appointed Italian national soccer team head coach Rino Gattuso, center, and Italian Soccer Federation, FGCI, president Gabriel Gravina, in Rome, Thursday, June 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Newly appointed Italian national soccer team head coach Rino Gattuso arrives for a press conference, in Rome, Thursday, June 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Newly appointed Italian national soccer team head coach Rino Gattuso holds a press conference, in Rome, Thursday, June 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Newly appointed Italian national soccer team head coach Rino Gattuso, center, poses for photographers with Italian Soccer Federation, FGCI, president Gabriel Gravina, right, and former player Gianluigi Buffon as he arrives for a press conference, in Rome, Thursday, June 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Newly appointed Italian national soccer team head coach Rino Gattuso, right, holds a press conference, in Rome, Thursday, June 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Josh Allen sat glumly at the postgame lectern, his mood resembling the dark clouds that hung over Highmark Stadium on Sunday.

Refusing to let on how sore his body might be after he was sacked five times and hit numerous others, Allen kept returning to the play that decided the Buffalo Bills' 13-12 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.

Allen came up short — a foot wide, actually — on a 2-point conversion attempt that would have won the game. With 5 seconds left, he sailed a pass just out of the reach of open receiver Khalil Shakir in the back of the end zone.

“Yeah, I just missed. Rolling left, I’ve got to get him a better ball,” said Allen, who got the Bills into position for the winning 2-point try by rushing for two touchdowns late in the fourth quarter.

“It just comes down to us executing, making one more play than they did. And obviously you saw that we didn’t make that last play,” he added, before correcting himself. “I didn’t make that last play.”

The loss only mattered in the playoff seedings for the Bills, who clinched a postseason spot a week earlier. Buffalo (11-5) dropped to the AFC’s No. 7 seed and handed the AFC East title to New England, ending the Bills' five-year run of winning the division.

What hurt Allen, who takes pride in carrying the franchise, was the feeling he let down his teammates, coaches and fans.

“We can learn a lot from this experience,” Allen said. “I’d rather have won and learned from that too, but again, I got to make a play.”

Allen made no excuses. Although he visited the X-ray room after the game, he dismissed questions about whether he was hurt. Coach Sean McDermott said those tests were negative.

“I’m good,” Allen said.

He said the right foot he hurt a week earlier in a 23-20 win at Cleveland and limited him in practice was not an issue.

“Zero,” he said after he finished 23 of 35 for 262 yards.

McDermott rallied to his quarterback’s defense.

“He’s the best quarterback in the league and I’d take him 1,000 out of 1,000 times to make that throw, and he’ll make it,” he said of the reigning MVP, who on Sunday became the NFL’s first player with 300 total touchdowns before turning 30.

McDermott’s only concern was Allen getting hurt, especially with the playoffs looming.

While acknowledging he was ready to pull Allen at the first hint of an injury, McDermott also noted how difficult it would have been to do so.

“I’d be lying if I didn’t say I had my eyes on Josh. Just because of how important he is to us,” he said.

“But I also know who he is. And he’s as competitive as there is, and as good as there is,” McDermott added. “To get (number) 17 off the field, I’d have to wrestle him.”

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Buffalo Bills' Josh Allen, right, and Philadelphia Eagles' Jalyx Hunt meet after an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)

Buffalo Bills' Josh Allen (17) scores a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Buffalo Bills' Josh Allen pauses during a news conference after an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)