Luciano Spalletti's Surprising Departure as Italy's Soccer Coach

In a surprising development, Luciano Spalletti, the coach of Italy's national soccer team, announced on Sunday that he will be dismissed after Monday's crucial World Cup qualifier against Moldova. This revelation came in the wake of Italy's disappointing 3-0 defeat to Norway, their opening qualifier match.

The decision to part ways with Spalletti, who took the helm in August 2023 to replace Roberto Mancini, underscores the pressure on the four-time World Cup champions to reverse their fortunes. Italy has failed to qualify for the past two World Cups and is now trailing group leader Norway by nine points.

Spalletti's early tenure was marked by setbacks, including a round of 16 exit from last year's European Championship and elimination from the Nations League quarterfinals by Germany. Despite the challenges, Spalletti expressed his dedication to supporting Italy's national team in any future capacity.

(With inputs from agencies.)