Gennaro Gattuso experienced the perfect introduction to his role as Italy’s head coach, watching his team deliver a dominant 5-0 victory against Estonia in crucial World Cup qualifying action.
The Azzurri’s goal explosion occurred entirely after halftime, with Moise Kean’s powerful 58th-minute strike serving as the catalyst that unleashed Italy’s attacking prowess.
Mateo Retegui, the former Atalanta forward who recently joined Saudi Arabia’s professional league, returned to Bergamo’s familiar surroundings to net a crucial double. Giacomo Raspadori and Alessandro Bastoni added their names to the scoresheet, completing Italy’s emphatic statement victory.
Despite this impressive display, Italy faces significant challenges in Group I standings after suffering a disappointing 3-0 opening defeat to Norway – a result that ultimately led to Luciano Spalletti’s departure from the national team setup.
However, this convincing performance provides renewed optimism for the Azzurri ahead of their upcoming fixture against Israel in Debrecen, Hungary. The team now believes they can challenge Norway’s early advantage in the automatic qualification race for the 2026 World Cup, jointly hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
First Half: Frustration Despite Dominance
Italy executed Gattuso’s tactical vision from the opening whistle, with Matteo Politano creating early danger through his trademark inside runs, forcing a deflected shot wide. Federico Dimarco tested Estonia’s defense with several long-range attempts.
Retegui came close to opening his account early, while Estonia goalkeeper Karl Hein produced a spectacular double save to deny both Mattia Zaccagni and Dimarco.
Estonia adopted a defensive approach, utilizing a compact formation and committed defending to shield Hein from Italy’s persistent attacks.
The visitors occasionally threatened through set pieces, with Giovanni Di Lorenzo making a crucial defensive intervention near Italy’s goal line during a corner kick sequence.
Bergamo’s passionate supporters appealed for a penalty when Retegui appeared to be fouled by Marten Kuusk, while both Kean and Politano fired wide in quick succession during Italy’s sustained pressure.
Italy’s mounting frustration was evident as Hein continued his heroics, making outstanding saves from Dimarco’s close-range effort and Retegui’s header to keep the match scoreless at halftime.
Second Half: Floodgates Open
Hein initially continued his impressive form after the restart, stopping Sandro Tonali’s fierce drive. However, the Werder Bremen loanee from Arsenal found himself increasingly isolated once Kean broke through for his eighth international goal.
The breakthrough sparked Italy’s offensive explosion. Kean nearly doubled the advantage within moments, striking the woodwork before Retegui found the net in the 69th minute with a clinical finish into the corner.
Substitute Raspadori immediately made his impact felt, first creating Retegui’s goal before scoring himself two minutes later with an acrobatic diving header from Politano’s delivery.
Retegui completed his brace in the 89th minute with another well-placed header, while Bastoni capped the victory with additional good work from the influential Raspadori, leaving Gattuso thoroughly satisfied with his team’s statement performance.
The comprehensive victory provides Italy with renewed confidence as they continue their World Cup qualification campaign under new leadership.