Jose Mourinho was one of the candidates for the position of the new head coach of the Italy national team, but the head of the national team delegation, Gigi Buffon, opposed his appointment, writes La Repubblica.
Jose Mourinho, Getty ImagesThe Italian Football Federation and Mourinho’s sponsor, Adidas, were ready to cover part of the "Special One’s" salary. The Juventus legend is convinced that Italy needs another person who can replace Luciano Spalletti and help the team qualify for the 2026 World Cup. Ultimately, Gennaro Gattuso was appointed as the head coach of the Azzurri.
“We chose Rino after consulting with the president and other specialists we talked to. I don’t think there are good or bad coaches at this level; rather, there are coaches who meet the needs of the team. This was a good moment for Rino to become the national team coach.
These are responsibilities that everyone fulfills. Time will tell whether this decision was right. If the decision was wrong, we need to take a step back,” said Buffon.
