Italy’s Reggio Neruemilia – June 9: Head coach of Italy’s Luciano Sparetti is paying attention during Italian Reggio Neruemilia’s Sitta del Tricoloa in Moldova’s FIFA 2026 qualifying round at Italy’s Mapay Stadium on June 9, 2025. (Photo: Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)
The former Italian national team head coach believes his successor, Gennaro Gattuso, will have no problem playing in the 2026 World Cup, and has admitted to calling Mateo Letegui after moving to the professional league in Saudi Arabia, revealing the young Italian talent he liked during his tenure.
The previous CT spoke about Italy in an interview with Non-Solomercato on Rai on Tuesday.
Spalletti, who was replaced by Gatuso as head coach of the Italian national team earlier this summer, claims he has no regrets about his tenure and that he wants nothing but his successor as he will lead the team to the 2026 World Cup.
Sparetti in World Cup qualifying rounds for Gatuso, Esposito, Letegui and Italy
“The national team felt like I was in heaven,” Spalletti told Rai (via TMW). “I gave it all, but I couldn’t give it all. I’m particularly sorry to those who were expecting great results and development, and I’m responsible for not doing so.
“The Federation has always been close to me and gave me the opportunity to work in the best possible way, but unfortunately that’s not how it went.”
Spalletti was asked if he felt that the standard or quality of players available to the Italian national team was in history.
“In my opinion, it’s absolutely not. Look at what I showed in Europe for comparison. The players I chose will be picking again. All they need to know is that they are great players. I saw them with all their qualities. I now see Reno Gattuso’s choice with curiosity in him.”
And does Sparetti feel that Gattuso is the right guy to lead Italy to the 2026 World Cup in North America?
“Absolutely, he’ll make it. He listened to me so we exchanged some jokes. We respect each other a lot.
Spalletti also admitted he would have wanted to have a talented Francesco Pio Esposito at his disposal when he was still in charge.
When asked if there was a young player he wanted to choose, Sparetti replied. “I called out some of them like Leoni. I saw Pio Esposito’s play, and he gave me hope for the future.
And about Letegui, who left Atalanta a year later to join Arcazia in the Saudi professional league, Spalletti said:
“We used to have a choice of 500 players, but now we have a choice of 50. We can’t imagine giving ourselves the luxury of excluding players who have made individual choices.”
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