Italy’s national football team reportedly requested a bonus of €300,000, or approximately €10,000 per player, ahead of the final matches in the additional qualification process for the World Cup against Bosnia and Herzegovina, according to a report in Italian newspaper La Repubblica. Gennaro Gattuso, a member of the team, reportedly rejected further discussions regarding the bonus with the Italian Football Federation (FIGC). Gattuso believed that negotiations on such compensation should be reserved for after the successful completion of World Cup qualification.
Italy ultimately lost the decisive final match to Bosnia and Herzegovina via penalty shootout. This defeat resulted in Gattuso’s resignation from his position as a team consultant on Friday. The loss marked a significant setback for Italy’s World Cup ambitions.
Following the qualification failure, sources indicated that Gattuso’s initial stance was correct.
