Gabriele Gravina, the former president of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), has contested the widespread belief that Italian football is in a state of irreversible decline. He argues that judging the national game solely on failures to qualify for the World Cup is an overly simplistic and inaccurate assessment.
Speaking at the launch of Ivan Zazzaroni’s book in Rome, Gravina acknowledged the disappointment of missing out on a third consecutive World Cup. However, he rejected the harshest criticisms directed at the Italian game, stating, “I don’t agree that Italian football has reached its lowest point. Evaluating our football based on a single result is a mistake; we need to stop being hypocritical about this.”
Gravina Cites Youth Successes and Mancini Era as Proof of Italian Football’s Enduring Foundations
Gravina emphasized the broader context that often gets overlooked amidst the post-World Cup disappointment.
“From 2018, with Mancini, Italy achieved 37 consecutive positive results and won the European Championship in 2021; these are extraordinary achievements,” he stated.
“Before 2018, our youth national teams never reached finals. Today, the Under-17s are European champions, as are the Under-19s.”
Regarding the specific missed opportunities that proved critical in qualification, Gravina was forthright. “Kean and Pio Esposito missed chances that could have been decisive, and that’s why we didn’t qualify,” he said. “But if they had scored? We would have reopened all the churches and magically solved every problem in Italian football.”
Looking ahead, Gravina advocated for structural reforms and increased investment. He offered his best wishes to the incoming FIGC president, Giovanni Malagò, with a particular plea: “It’s unacceptable that a reform can be blocked because 3% disagree. It’s undemocratic and defies all reason. I couldn’t change it; I hope he does.”