La Russa’s Mad Suggestion: Bring Mourinho Home to Save Italy’s Azzurri!
Italian politician Ignazio La Russa has proposed hiring Jose Mourinho as Italy's next coach after their latest World Cup qualification failure, drawing parallels to Brazil appointing Carlo Ancelotti. With FIGC bosses resigning and criticism mounting over Gennaro Gattuso's tactics in the Bosnia playoff loss, names like Conte and Inzaghi are in the mix, but La Russa's bold call for the Special One has sparked debate. Mourinho, currently at Benfica after spells with Inter and Roma, could bring his winning magic back to Serie A roots.
La Russa’s Mad Suggestion: Bring Mourinho Home to Save Italy’s Azzurri!
Italy’s national team is in the doldrums after yet another World Cup heartbreak. Three tournaments in a row without qualification? Ouch. Now, a top politician is stirring the pot with a cheeky idea: poach Jose Mourinho as the next gaffer.
Azzurri’s Epic Meltdown and Clean Sweep of Resignations
Let’s set the scene. The Italy squad stumbled out of the World Cup playoffs, losing on penalties to Bosnia and Herzegovina after a gritty 1-1 draw. Down to 10 men for most of it thanks to Alessandro Bastoni’s red card, it was a comedy of errors. Gaffer Gennaro Gattuso copped flak for tactical tweaks – shoving Bastoni out of position to fit Riccardo Calafiori in, which left Federico Dimarco exposed on the left.
And the penalties? Throwing Pio Esposito, a kid who doesn’t even take them for Inter, into the spotlight first? Amateur hour, mate. No wonder FIGC President Gabriele Gravina and delegation chief Gigi Buffon have quit, with Gattuso likely next. Time for a reset.
Susy Campanale at Football Italia first broke the story on this behind-the-scenes shake-up, highlighting the desperation for fresh blood.
Politician’s Bold Punt: Mourinho Over Mancini?
Enter Ignazio La Russa, a fiery Inter fan and Italian politician, who’s dropped a bombshell in Corriere della Sera. “If Brazil can snag a foreign legend like Carlo Ancelotti, why can’t we chase someone like Mourinho?” he pondered. Revolutionary? Or just pub talk gone viral?
La Russa slammed the Bosnia debacle as “incredible,” pinning it on Gattuso’s decisions. Fair play – Italy’s been stuck in a rut, recycling the same names: Antonio Conte, Max Allegri, Roberto Mancini, Simone Inzaghi. All solid, but maybe too familiar. Why not the ultimate outsider, the Special One?
Imagine Mourinho barking orders at Coverciano, winding up the press with his trademark swagger. It’d be box office. He’s got Serie A pedigree from stints at Inter (that famous Treble in 2010) and Roma, where he lifted the Conference League before getting the boot in early 2024.
Mou’s Wild Ride: From Fener to Benfica Bench
Mourinho’s no stranger to drama. Sacked by Fenerbahce in August 2025, he’s now calling shots at Benfica, eyeing UEFA Champions League glory. Spotted in Lisbon pacing the touchline ahead of their clash with Bayer Leverkusen on November 5, 2025, he looks settled – for now.
Portugal have eyed him for their job over the years, but Italy? That’d be poetic. La Russa’s not wrong about Brazil’s move – Ancelotti’s bringing samba flair back. Could Mourinho weave his dark arts for the Azzurri? He’d demand total control, sign his mates, and probably park the bus better than anyone.
But let’s be real: FIGC hiring a non-Italian coach? Groundbreaking, or a recipe for chaos? Mourinho thrives on pressure, and Italy’s got buckets of it. After the Gravina-Buffon exit, the federation’s hunting a saviour. Conte’s tempting, Inzaghi’s rising, but Mou? He’d turn qualifiers into Mourinho classics – controversial, captivating, victorious?
Fans are buzzing. Inter ultras love it (La Russa’s mob), Roma lot might boo, but neutrals? Grinning ear to ear. As Susy Campanale notes, this is the spark Italy needs post-failure. Will FIGC bite? Or stick to safe Italiano picks?
One thing’s sure: football’s never dull with ideas like this floating around. Grab your pint – the Azzurri reboot just got spicy.