Gattuso has been out of management since leaving the Italy job Alberto Pizzoli / AFP via Getty ImagesJune 23, 2026 9:02 am EDT Updated Gennaro Gattuso has been appointed Lazio head coach, less than three months after leaving his role at the Italian national team.The 48-year-old has been out of management since departing the national side in April following the team’s failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup after a play-off defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina.Gattuso replaces Maurizio Sarri in the Italian capital after the former Chelsea boss joined Serie A rivals Atalanta.
Benvenuto, Mister 🤝🩵#AvantiLazio pic.twitter.com/n9P3dkIYuP
— S.S.Lazio (@OfficialSSLazio) June 23, 2026Sarri, 67, had returned to Lazio for a second spell in charge last summer and guided the club to ninth in Serie A.
The Lazio role marks a return to club management for Gattuso following a brief spell in charge of Italy, and will see him take charge of the fourth separate Serie A club of his coaching career.The former midfielder has had spells at Pisa, Milan and Napoli, in addition to Sion, Palermo, OFI, Valencia, Marseille and Hajduk Split across 13 years in management.Gattuso was appointed Italy head coach in the summer of 2025, replacing Luciano Spalletti.Italy failed to qualify automatically for this summer’s tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada after finishing second to Norway in their group, before being beaten in the play-offs by Bosnia and Herzegovina.Gattuso made 73 appearances for Italy during a 10-year senior international career and was part of the side that won the 2006 World Cup.He played over 300 times for Milan, winning both Serie A and the Champions League twice.Jun 23, 2026Connections: Sports EditionSpot the pattern. Connect the termsFind the hidden link between sports terms
