In an Instagram post on the afternoon of 2/4 Rome time, Buffon confirmed his decision to resign immediately after the final whistle of the match against Bosnia.

"It was a natural reaction, like the tears and heartache I know I share with all of you," Buffon wrote on his personal Instagram page. "I was asked to postpone the decision to allow more time for thorough consideration. I felt I had to resign as a personal responsibility."

Buffon leaves the field after the World Cup 2026 play-off semifinal between Italy and Northern Ireland at Azzurri D'Italia stadium, Bergamo on 26/3. Photo: AFP

Buffon played 176 matches for the Italian national team and won the 2006 World Cup with the squad. In August 2023, after retiring, he was appointed national team manager, a position left vacant after his predecessor Gianluca Vialli fell ill and passed away. Buffon played a key role in appointing his friend and 2006 golden generation teammate, Gennaro Gattuso, as Italy's head coach in June 2025.

Buffon believed that over the past year, he, Gattuso, and their colleagues had built a cohesive team spirit for the national squad but failed to achieve the goal of returning Italy to the World Cup. "We failed. It is time to leave space and freedom for a successor to choose the most suitable personnel for this position," the former goalkeeper emphasized.

Buffon expressed pride in serving as a bridge between the national team and youth levels, with the overarching goal of re-establishing the talent development process for future Italian national teams.

"I proposed and received agreement to add experienced personnel. Along with the existing team, they are making necessary changes with a medium- and long-term vision. I did this because I believe in the philosophy of valuing talent and specialization in work. The effectiveness of these choices will be assessed by the authorities," he stated.

Also on the afternoon of 2/4, not long before Buffon announced his resignation, Gravina submitted his resignation during a meeting with FIGC members, ending his leadership of the federation since 2018, a period that saw the Italian national team miss two World Cups in 2022 and 2026.

Previously, in the press conference immediately after the loss to Bosnia in the play-off final, Gravina had stated he would leave his future to the decision of the Federal Council meeting next week. However, facing widespread pressure and calls for his resignation, he decided to step down.

Gravina (right) and team manager Gigi Buffon (left) at the announcement ceremony for Gattuso as Italy's coach in June 2025. Photo: AFP

Gravina was also prepared to participate in a hearing at 11h on 8/4 before the Culture, Science, and Education Committee of the Italian House of Representatives to report on the state of the nation's football. There, the former FIGC President would detail the system's strengths and weaknesses and clarify controversial topics from the recent post-match press conference against Bosnia.

Specifically, after the loss to Bosnia, when asked why other Italian sports were achieving success while football continued to decline, Gravina made a controversial statement within the nation's sports community.

"Football is a professional sport; other sports are amateur," he said. "Therefore, let's compare fairly. Other sports are public sports, like winter sports, for example; with the exception of short-track speed skater Arianna Fontana, all athletes are state employees."

Gravina's remarks not only failed to appease public anger following the national team's failure but also "poured oil on the fire." Italy's Minister of Sport and Youth, Andrea Abodi, personally refuted the statement and demanded a leadership change at the FIGC.

Through an FIGC statement, Gravina clarified his remarks: "Those statements were not intended to offend any sport but merely referred to differences in legal regulations and internal as well as external management systems."

By Hoang Thong