BERGAMO, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 5: Italy national team coach Gennaro Gattuso gestures during the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier match between Italy and Estonia at the Stadio di Bergamo on September 5, 2025 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Mattia Ozbot/Getty Images)
Coach Gennaro Gattuso believes Italy have “definitely improved” since last month, but has warned that economic disparities have made the Premier League a “different sport” and opposes FIFA’s bid for another winter World Cup.
The match against Estonia will kick off at 19:45 UK time (18:45 GMT) at the Lecoq Arena in Tallinn.
You can follow all the builds and action happening on our live blog.
Tonight’s match will be available to watch live in the UK and Ireland on Amazon Prime Video. Supporters in the US can watch via DirecTV Stream, Sling TV and Tubi TV.
When the two teams met in Bergamo last month, it was the debut match for new coach Gennaro Gattuso, who won 5-0.
Despite subsequently winning 5-4 against Israel, the Azzurri continue to catch up with group leaders Norway.
Gattuso feels Italy’s growth from debut match
“There was already a clear difference in the fitness levels of the players. I would like to thank the club for allowing us to work with them over the last few months. The players are definitely improving and are ready for the competition,” Gattuso told RAI Sport.
Giacomo Raspadori has contributed two goals and two assists in Gattuso’s games so far for Italy and will start again tonight. Is he one of the leaders of this team?
“I like having multiple leaders, some talk a lot and some talk a lot on the pitch, but we need the whole team. Jack is a player of incredible quality and like all the players he gives us a big hand.”
Several current Italian players, including Sandro Tonali, Gianluigi Donnarumma and Riccardo Calafioli, have moved to the Premier League for club football, but Gattuso insists this can only help Italian football as a whole.
“They are playing a different sport on an economic level. It’s hard to say, but you have to say it. Players at the ‘smaller’ clubs there earn four to five times what they earn at the biggest clubs here,” the coach said.
“People ask why our players leave Italy, because they are given a lot of money. They also get a genuine holiday there. That was already my situation when I played for Glasgow Rangers in 1997. Our culture, on the other hand, has such constant stress.”
“We worry about what the fans, the president, the sporting director say. It’s more complicated. It’s up to us to set the parameters and start a different approach.”
Amid a packed list of matches, FIFA president Gianni Infantino this week proposed that the next World Cup in 2030 be held in Saudi Arabia in the winter, following Qatar in 2022.
But Gattuso admits he’s not a fan of the idea.
“I can only say that I experienced it myself as Valencia coach. The Qatar World Cup was difficult, we had to stop the season midway through, start over and play 18 games before finishing the season.
“This was something new. I don’t mean to contradict the president’s views, but this is not ideal for anyone.”
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