Gianluigi Buffon defends Gattuso despite Italy's World Cup failure

Gianluigi Buffon has expressed his continued support for Gennaro Gattuso, maintaining that the former player was the right choice to lead the Italian national team despite the country's failure to qualify for the World Cup.

Following Italy's loss to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the playoff finals—which included a 1-1 draw followed by a 4-1 penalty shootout defeat—Buffon resigned from his position as head of the Italian delegation. He described his resignation as an instinctive reaction to the pain of the defeat. The failure also led to the departure of Italian Football Federation president Gabriele Gravina.

Buffon emphasized that he stands by the decision to appoint Gattuso and would make the same choice again, noting that a single missed penalty does not change his perspective on the coach's suitability for the role. He stated that he intends to take time for himself and his family after choosing to step away rather than attempting to return to his position.