Gabriel Gravina called an early Federal Council meeting on Thursday, where he announced his resignation as president of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC). This move comes after Italy's national team failed to qualify for the World Cup for the third consecutive time, being eliminated by Bosnia and Herzegovina on penalties two days earlier in the World Cup qualifying play-off final.

The 72-year-old Gravina has been in charge of the Italian Football Federation since October 2018, leading the Azzurri to the 2020 European Championship title. Before resigning, he made it clear that he hoped Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso would remain in his position. Gattuso will officially succeed Luciano Spalletti as Italy coach in June 2025, and has since achieved a record of 6 wins and 2 losses.

The Italian Football Federation subsequently announced in a statement that it will hold an election conference for a new president in Rome on June 22. Giovanni Malago, former president of the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) and former president of the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics organizing committee, is one of the leading candidates.

Following Gravina's resignation, 48-year-old Gianluigi Buffon also announced his resignation as manager of the Italian national team. A record holder for international appearances (175) and a member of the 2006 World Cup-winning team, he has been deeply involved in the management of the Italian national team since taking office in August 2023, and played a key role in Gattuso's appointment as head coach.

Through social media, Buffon stated: "Now that President Gravina has chosen to step down, I feel it is my responsibility to make the appropriate decision. Although I sincerely believe that I, Gennaro Gattuso, and all the staff have achieved many successes in terms of team spirit and cohesion, the national team's primary goal within the limited time available has always been to return to the World Cup. Unfortunately, we have failed to achieve this goal. I believe that my successor should be given ample space to freely choose the most suitable person to replace me."

“Representing the national team is both an honor and a passion I’ve cherished since childhood. I always strive to fulfill my responsibilities, paying attention to all aspects and working to build bridges of communication, dialogue, and collaboration between different age groups. I’m also working with relevant personnel to develop a project that extends from the younger age groups to the U21 national team. I proposed and successfully recruited several experienced key figures who are working with existing members to drive these necessary, long-term-term changes. I did this because I believe in the principles of prioritizing competence and professional specialization. Whether the decisions are wise will be judged by the relevant personnel.”

Buffon concluded, "I will remember all of this and am grateful for the honor and inspiration this experience has given me. Even though the ending was heartbreaking, it has benefited me immensely. Always support the Azzurri!"

Image source: Internet