Gennaro Gattuso admits the World Cup play-off is ‘the most important game of my career’ and warns Italy they ‘cannot underestimate’ Northern Ireland, but has crucial injury updates.
The semi-final with Northern Ireland kicks off at the New Balance Arena in Bergamo on Thursday at 19.45 GMT (20.45 CET).
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Whoever wins that will go on to face either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina away from home on March 31 for a spot at the World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the USA.
Gattuso on Italy pressure and Northern Ireland danger
Gennaro Gattuso’s press conference on March 23, 2026 at Coverciano.
“I’d be lying if I said when I put my head on the pillow at night, I didn’t hear the voices saying ‘take us to the World Cup, take us to the World Cup, take us to the World Cup,’” smiled Gattuso in his press conference.
“I hear it, and I also hear that this is certainly the most important game of my career, even if I’ve been coaching for a few years now.
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“Having said that, I am prepared, and believe me I am not thinking about what happens if things go badly. I want to think positive, to think big. Tomorrow we will certainly play our game, and then we’ll see.”
What do the Nazionale have to look out for against Northern Ireland in Bergamo?
“You need experience on the field, but tomorrow we must be ready to suffer when Northern Ireland systematically pump the ball into the box, remember that any free kick will see their goalkeeper smack a long ball forward with eight or nine players showing incredible hunger fighting for the loose ball and rebound.
“We know all of this, we’ve been talking about dinners for months with the players, but I also make phone calls with them, and modern players are evolved, they are capable of studying tactical systems. We’ve been doing video lectures for two days.
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“They know what they need to do, to sniff out danger, believe in every single ball. We’ve also got to be wary on set plays. I’m not saying long balls is the only way they play, but it is their primary characteristic, and they do it very well.”
Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso during a press conference at Coverciano on November 10, 2025.
Considering Gattuso used to struggle to sleep before big matches when he was a player, how has he been resting now he is in this situation as a coach?
“Fortunately, our doctors are slipping me a few pills. I used to be allergic to these things as a player, but I’ve got better at accepting help, otherwise at 4.30am I open my eyes and look like a bat!”
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Marcello Lippi said that Gattuso is one of his best pupils and expressed confidence that he will succeed.
“I read that and I cannot deny, it was emotional for me. I speak to him often, we shared so much together, and I thank him.”
There are still some doubts over the fitness levels of several players, although it is good news for others.
“Gianluca Mancini, Matteo Politano and Riccardo Calafiori are fine, there’s nothing wrong with them, and they are available,” confirmed Gattuso.
“Alessandro Bastoni did 30-35 per cent of the training with the team yesterday, he did a bit of the game between ranks, we’ll try him again tonight.
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“Gianluca Scamacca is a bit further behind, he’s doing some things, but the only players who need to be evaluated are Bastoni and Scamacca.”
BERGAMO, ITALY – FEBRUARY 25: Gianluca Scamacca of Atalanta reacts during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Knockout Play-off Second Leg match between Atalanta BC and Borussia Dortmund at Stadio di Bergamo on February 25, 2026 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
It had been assumed that Atalanta striker Scamacca would be released back home, along with Liverpool’s Federico Chiesa.
“At the start of the training camp, three, four or five of them could barely stand, but they held on. Scamacca didn’t want to go back home. I liked that spirit, I even managed to joke around with them a bit in training, but everyone knows their place and we need that on the field.”
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There is the possibility the play-off could go to penalties, in which case who is the first choice taker for Italy?
“Mateo Retegui has taken the most recent penalties, he is the taker. We practiced yesterday, everyone did three penalties each, so we know this is a possibility, and we tried them out,” confessed Gattuso.
BERGAMO, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 05: Gennaro Gattuso, Head Coach of Italy during the National anthems prior to the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier match between Italy and Estonia at Stadio di Bergamo on September 05, 2025 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Mattia Ozbot/Getty Images)
Does the coach have a message for the Italian fans who haven’t been represented at a World Cup since 2014?
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“It’s up to us. If we are out there and give the sensation that we’re focused, then the rest will come as a consequence of that. We cannot ask anyone for anything, we are in charge of our own destiny.
“We need to be calm and aware that we’re up against players with blood pumping through their veins. People say we have no identity, and that’s fine for them to say that. We’ve got to prove ourselves ready. Easy games no longer exist.”
Nazionale supporters can be forgiven for losing patience and faith in their team after so many recent setbacks.
“It’s true, but the responsibility is not on the fans, they suffered two huge disappointments. This is not the time to talk about the past. We must go to this World Cup, because it is fundamental for us. The objective is to get back where we were for many years, and to do it as protagonists too.”
ROME, ITALY – JUNE 19: Gianluigi Buffon, Italy new head coach Gennaro Gattuso and FIGC president Gabriele Gravina pose during the press conference at Hotel Parco dei Principi on June 19, 2025 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)
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Italy have bad memories of the World Cup play-offs, losing to on paper much weaker teams in both 2018 and 2022, so has Gattuso watched those back for research?
“I didn’t need to, I already had them in my head. Besides, the truth is that if Jorginho had scored that penalty at the Stadio Olimpico, we’d have been at the World Cup already.
“When I won the Champions League with Milan in 2003, if Massimo Ambrosini hadn’t invented that flick out of nowhere, we would’ve been out in the quarter-final.
“Good luck is an important component of football, but what’s in the past is done, we have to focus on tomorrow.”
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There are three strong strike options for Italy in Moise Kean, Mateo Retegui and Francesco Pio Esposito, but could the choice against Northern Ireland also depend on who would start in the play-off final on March 31?
“I am not thinking of March 31, but of tomorrow. And I am well aware that I have some great strikers,” replied Gattuso.
BERLIN – JULY 09: Gennaro Gattuso (L) and Fabio Grosso (R) of Italy celebrate with the world cup trophy during the FIFA World Cup Germany 2006 Final match between Italy and France at the Olympic Stadium on July 9, 2006 in Berlin, Germany.
(Photo by Ben Radford/Getty Images)
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The former midfielder was chosen partly because he was in that Italy squad that won the 2006 World Cup, so how important is this game compared to that?
“It was a whole other world back then. It’s been so long that I can’t even remember the matches I played in. Yes, this game is the most important of my career, considering the amount of responsibility that I feel on my shoulders, it doesn’t compare.”
BERLIN – JULY 9: Gennaro Gattuso (R) of Italy is congratulated by Marcello Lippi (C), the coach of Italy, following their team’s victory during the FIFA World Cup Germany 2006 Final match between Italy and France at the Olympic Stadium on July 9, 2006 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
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Italy missing a third consecutive World Cup would be unthinkable.
“I don’t like telling the players what I experienced, because they’ve got to feel it for themselves. You cannot underestimate your opponents, they got this far because of passion and determination, they act like every ball is the first and last of their lives, and we cannot do any less than that.
“There are two games within the game, one on the ball and one without it. We’ve got to be ready to suffer when we don’t have the ball, and when we do, we need to use our pace and get into their final third with quality,” concluded Gattuso.