Former Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon has stepped down from his position as head of delegation with the Italy national football team after the country failed to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
NOP NIGERIA reports that Italy’s latest setback came with a play-off defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina, where the four-time world champions lost 4-1 on penalties.
The result extends a historic drought, with Italy now missing three straight tournaments after also failing to reach the 2018 FIFA World Cup and the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Buffon, a member of Italy’s triumphant squad at the 2006 FIFA World Cup, confirmed his resignation in a statement, calling the decision “an act of responsibility.”
According to BBC Sport, the 48-year-old had been working closely with the national team setup and admitted the main objective of returning Italy to the World Cup had not been achieved.
His departure follows the exit of Gabriele Gravina, who resigned as president of the Italian Football Federation amid mounting criticism over the team’s continued struggles on the international stage.
Buffon said the leadership changes made his decision inevitable. “It’s fair to leave it to those who will come after the freedom to choose the figure they think is best to play my role,” he said.
