Ahanor, Koleosho and why Super Eagles won’t celebrate as Italy boss Gattuso resigns

Gennaro Gattuso has resigned as Italy’s head coach following the country’s failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Afrik-Foot reports.

The decision was taken by mutual consent, with the former midfielder admitting he was leaving ‘with pain in his heart’ after falling short of expectations.

Italy’s campaign ended in disappointment after a penalty shootout defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the playoff final. It continued a worrying trend for the four-time world champions, who have now missed three consecutive World Cups, a historic low for one of football’s traditional powers.

Gattuso had only been in charge for nine months, replacing Luciano Spalletti during the qualification campaign. He oversaw just eight matches, but Italy finished second in their group behind Norway, forcing them into the playoffs where their hopes finally collapsed.

His resignation followed the earlier exits of Italian FA president Gabriele Gravina and delegation head Gianluigi Buffon, signalling a complete reset for the national team.

Why Gattuso’s exit is not good news for Nigeria

At first glance, Gattuso’s departure might seem irrelevant to Nigerian football. In reality, it could have serious consequences for the Super Eagles’ long-term recruitment of dual-national players.

During his short spell in charge, Gattuso did not hand a senior Italy debut to any player of Nigerian descent. This is significant. Highly rated youngsters such as Michael Kayode were strongly linked with a call-up but never capped, leaving the door open for Nigeria.

The same applies to emerging talents like Honest Ahanor, Jeff Ekhator, Luca Koleosho, and Kevin Zeroli – players of Nigerian heritage who are on the verge of breaking into the Italian senior setup. Under Gattuso, there was a sense of hesitation. His focus remained on immediate results rather than long-term integration of new, dual-national prospects.

That delay worked in Nigeria’s favour.

If Gattuso had remained in charge, Nigeria would likely have had more time to convince these players to commit to the Super Eagles. His reluctance to fast-track them into Italy’s senior team kept their international futures open.

However, a new Italy coach could change everything.

A fresh manager, eager to rebuild after failure, may look to younger, dynamic players, including those with Nigerian roots. That would immediately put Nigeria at risk of losing out. Once a player earns a competitive senior cap for Italy, the door to switch allegiance effectively closes.

There is already precedent. Under Spalletti, Italy moved quickly to secure talents such as Destiny Udogie, who made his debut in 2023 and has since become an important part of the squad. Players like Michael Folorunsho were also integrated early, reducing Nigeria’s chances of convincing them.

This latest coaching change in Italy is therefore a double-edged sword for Nigeria. While instability might seem beneficial, it could actually accelerate Italy’s efforts to tie down emerging dual-national stars.

In simple terms, Gattuso’s caution helped Nigeria. His exit may now open the door for Italy to act quickly, and decisively, in securing some of the most promising players of Nigerian heritage.

For the Super Eagles, the race just became more urgent.