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Claudio Ranieri has officially turned down the opportunity to become Italy’s new head coach. The former Roma manager, now a consultant for the Friedkin Group, confirmed his decision in a statement to ANSA, rejecting the offer made by FIGC president Gabriele Gravina.
“I want to thank President Gravina for the opportunity—it was a great honour—but I’ve decided to fully commit to my new role at Roma,” said Ranieri. “The Friedkins gave me their full support, whatever my decision regarding the national team, but ultimately, the choice was mine".
Meanwhile, Luciano Spalletti reflected on his final match in charge of the Azzurri—a 2-0 win over Moldova in Reggio Emilia—with a mix of realism and regret. The coach pointed to the team’s physical decline as a key issue, especially in light of the heavy 3-0 loss to Norway in Oslo.
“I stuck with this group, but I found them really worn out from the end of the club season,” Spalletti said. “Maybe we should’ve looked for players in better shape. It’s tough when 18 out of 25 have knocks or niggles. The wear and tear of the season left us short".
Still, Spalletti refused to hide behind excuses. “When you're the coach of the national team, there can be no alibis—you choose the players. If they’re tired, you change them. I believed these guys could give me what I was looking for, and in some ways they did. But in the end, it’s the coach who has to make the difference—and unfortunately, I didn’t".
