Spalletti Remains Head Coach of Italian National Team

Luciano Spalletti will remain the head coach of the Italian national team, authorities have said.

The 65-year-old specialist will lead the Italian team at least until the 2026 World Cup.

"My mission is to make this team even younger," Spalletti's words are quoted by Fabrizio Romano.

Under Luciano Spalletti's leadership, the Italian national team has played a total of 14 matches, winning seven, drawing four times, and losing three times.

But defeat for the reigning European champions raised questions about Spalletti’s future as head coach, despite the fact he signed a three-year contract to replace Roberto Mancini fewer than 12 months ago.

Following the Switzerland loss, though, Spalletti spoke as if he intended to carry on with the national team.

“The results have said that we need to change things,” the 65-year-old said. “That’s been the footballing verdict and I’ll be forced to do so.”

Italian Football Federation (FIGC) president Gabriele Gravina then confirmed in a press conference with Spalletti on Monday that the former Napoli boss will remain in his position.

“We had a long talk with the coach,” Gravina said. “I am pragmatic and I think it is unthinkable to solve problems in times of difficulty by abandoning a project that from the first moment we said was a three-year project.

“You can’t think about abandoning a project after eight or nine months. Something has to be changed, something has to be revised in terms of approach. There will be deep reflections, last night we started to go through that with Spalletti. We all have to grow.”