Arsenal defender Riccardo Calafiori revealed that Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso contacted him more frequently than his mother did over the past four months. The 23-year-old left-back, who transferred from Bologna to Arsenal in 2024, said Gattuso's constant communication helped maintain team spirit during the Azzurri's World Cup qualification campaign.

Gattuso's hands-on approach included traveling across Italy and abroad to meet players personally. Calafiori recalled a dinner with Gattuso, delegation chief Gianluigi Buffon, and assistant coach Leonardo Bonucci in London, where they shared soccer stories and built team camaraderie. The Italian coach's attention to detail came as the four-time World Cup champions attempt to avoid missing a third consecutive tournament.

Calafiori, who has become a regular for Italy but is no longer guaranteed a starting spot at Arsenal due to Piero Hincapié's strong form, emphasized the importance of their upcoming playoff against Northern Ireland. Italy must win this match and another against either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina to qualify for the 2026 tournament in North America, having been eliminated in the playoffs for the last two World Cups.