Simone Inzaghi, the former Inter head coach currently managing Al-Hilal, has expressed strong confidence in the future of Italian football, asserting that it “will recover” despite the national team’s recent failure to qualify for the World Cup for the third consecutive time. However, Inzaghi unequivocally ruled himself out of contention to replace Gennaro Gattuso as the head coach of the Italy national team, stating, “I have another year on my contract with Al-Hilal.”
Life and Career in Saudi Arabia
Celebrating his 50th birthday, the former Lazio and Inter manager is nearing the end of his first season with Al-Hilal in the Saudi Pro League. His team currently holds second place, five points behind Al-Nassr with seven matches remaining in the season.
Inzaghi spoke positively about his experience in Saudi Arabia, describing it as a “fantastic situation from all points of view.” He highlighted the lifestyle, the advanced sporting and non-sporting infrastructure, and the sense of “calmness that accompanies you even in a stressful job like mine.”
Italy’s World Cup Disappointment and Inzaghi’s Motivations
The conversation inevitably turned to Italy’s latest disappointment, their elimination from World Cup contention following a penalty shoot-out defeat against Bosnia and Herzegovina. Inzaghi conveyed his deep regret, saying, “I’m very sorry that Italy won’t be at the World Cup for the third time in a row.” He added, “I’m 100% Italian, my brother also won a World Cup. Italian football will recover, I’m sure of it.”
Addressing the reasons behind his departure from Italian football, Inzaghi acknowledged that a significant salary increase in the Saudi Pro League was a factor, but insisted it wasn’t the sole motivation. “Wrong. Earning a lot is a pleasure, obviously, but other factors pushed me here. Fortunately, I didn’t need money,” he clarified. He emphasized a “desire to try a completely new experience in a completely new environment.” Inzaghi further explained that his tenure at Inter, while professionally rewarding, was “very stressful,” leading him to feel “the need to experience football at a high level, but to unplug from a load of pressure that had become very heavy.”
Ruling Out the National Team Role
Despite speculation in some Italian media outlets positioning Inzaghi as a potential candidate to take over the national team, he firmly dismissed such possibilities. “I’m flattered,” he stated, “but as I said, I’m fine here and I have another year on my contract with Al-Hilal.”
