Gattuso’s Italy Secure World Cup Playoff Spot with Dominant Win Over Israel
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Italy has clinched a coveted spot in the 2026 World Cup Qualification playoffs after a commanding 3-0 victory over Israel. The win, secured on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, at the Bluenergy Stadium in Udine, solidifies Italy’s position in Group I and eliminates Israel from contention for direct qualification.
Azzurri Advance Under New Leadership
The Italian national team, under the guidance of Gennaro Gattuso, demonstrated a marked improvement in control and spirit compared to their previous encounter with Israel, which ended in a narrow 5-4 victory. Goals from Mateo Retegui (45’+2 penalty, 74′) and Gianluca Mancini (90+3′) propelled the Gli Azzurri to a decisive win.
“We played well, because we all remember what happened a month ago, they made us shake,” a senior team official stated, referencing the challenging first match against Israel.”I thoght we were more controlled tonight, they also created some chances, and Gigio (Gianluigi Donnarumma) made some vital saves, but I saw the right spirit.”
Locatelli Shines, Attack Faces Scrutiny
While the overall performance was lauded, Gattuso acknowledged areas for improvement. He specifically praised the performance of midfielder Manuel Locatelli, stating, “Locatelli played very well.” Though, he also noted that the attacking line “struggled a little, but played according to what we needed.”
Italy now sits in second place in Group I with 15 points from six matches, making a direct qualification to the 2026 World Cup unfeasible. The focus now shifts to the playoffs, with the semifinals scheduled for March and the draw taking place on November 21.
A Winning streak Under “Rino”
Gattuso’s impact on the Italian national team has been immediate and significant. Since taking over from Luciano Spalletti in June 2025, Italy has won all four of their matches, consistently scoring at least three goals per game. This includes a pair of victories against Estonia (5-0, 3-1) and the two recent matches against Israel (5-4, 3-0).
In total, Italy has scored an remarkable 16 goals in just four matches under Gattuso’s leadership.This offensive firepower underscores a revitalized approach to the game.
“We had everything at stake tonight, don’t forget that, so I feel we played well,” the team official added.
Gattuso emphasized the importance of resilience,stating,”At the moment,few teams in the world can dominate a match,so we have to be able to survive under pressure,know how to break through with fighting power.” This mindset will be crucial as Italy navigates the challenges of the World Cup Qualification playoffs.
