Nobody was happier than Sandro Tonali, after Italy’s appointment of Gennaro Gattuso on 15 June 2025.
The AC Milan legend replacing Luciano Spalletti, who ten months ago announced his own sacking at a news conference.
Genarro Gattuso was a member of the 2006 World Cup winning Italy squad. Whilst at club level especially, someone who inspired Sandro Tonali, as Gattuso won two Champions League titles and Serie A, during his time at AC Milan, the club that Tonali has supported all his life.
FIGC President Gabriele Gravina when announcing the Gennaro Gattuso appointment – 15 June 2025:
“Gennaro Gattuso is a symbol of Italian football. The blue jersey is like a second skin for him. His motivations, his professionalism and his experience will be fundamental to best face the upcoming commitments of the national team.”
Now on Friday (3 April 2026), it has been announced that Italy and Gennaro Gattuso have gone their separate ways.
Gattuso declaring: “With a heavy heart, having failed to achieve the goal we set ourselves, I consider my time as coach of the national team to be over.”
After taking the Italy job, back in June 2025, with Sandro Tonali his key player, Gennaro Gattuso won six of seven matches, the only exception when losing to World Cup qualifying group winners Norway.
Gattuso’s eighth match turning out to be his last. With his side a goal up and cruising in their World Cup play-off final away against Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bastoni got himself red carded before half-time and Italy ended up losing on penalties, following a late equaliser in normal time and then a goalless half hour extra-time.
This made it three World Cups in a row that Italy had failed to qualify for, a disaster for the four times World Cup winners, leading to Sandro Tonali losing the Italy manager who he idolises.
Italian journalist Mina Rzouki had this to say back in July 2023 after Sandro Tonali signed for Newcastle United from AC Milan:
‘He has been compared to Andrea Pirlo, but in fact it was the Italian great’s team-mate whom Sandro Tonali sought to model his game after, former Rangers midfielder Gennaro Gattuso.
In a short film released by AC Milan on the player called ‘Sandro Tonali – A Rossonero dream come true’, one anecdote revealed that a mug with Gattuso’s image printed on it was among Tonali’s most prized possessions.
When his mum accidentally broke it, he painstakingly ensured each piece was glued back together.
Like Gattuso, Tonali possesses a combative style, spirit of sacrifice and ability to cover ground. Most importantly however, he is an old school professional who cares about the game.
Tonali was Milan boss Stefano Pioli’s joker card. Placed anywhere on the pitch, his tactical understanding of the game ensured effective execution of Milan’s tactics, whether that be to free Rafael Leao from strict marking, to defend from the front, or to act as an auxiliary striker. Tonali can play in a multitude of positions.
Newcastle have purchased a highly motivated and professional player who loves nothing more than winning back possession and supporting the team, whether that be offensively or defensively.
He will train rigorously, he will focus only on the game and he will ensure that one day, he will have his own image printed on a mug for a youngster to treasure.’