**

Gabriele Gravina, president of the Italian Football Federation, initially hesitated to run for the position but ultimately decided to stand as a candidate and was elected.

Italy has failed to qualify for the FIFA World Cup for 12 years. This marks the third consecutive World Cup—the 2026 tournament hosted in the United States, Mexico, and Canada—that the Azzurri will miss, and Italian football requires a complete overhaul. Gravina stated: "First, this poor record resulted from a combination of factors. We haven't qualified for the World Cup in 12 years, and now we must wait another four years. Ironically, football's appeal remains undiminished—something that even surprises me. More fans are attending stadiums, and we're seeing positive shifts in revenue, turnover, and corporate investment."

He then analyzed two key areas: "Are fewer young people playing football? No—the number of registered players has actually increased. Have coaches become too rigid tactically? There's no definitive evidence, but many suggest this. Did we lose on penalties? Look at the Netherlands and Germany—both were eliminated on penalties. Today, statistically stronger teams face greater pressure and are more likely to be eliminated. It's a psychological factor. Perhaps we need sports psychologists. Yesterday, Lamont Marcell Jacobs delivered a remarkable performance—I remember what his psychologist did for him at the Tokyo Olympics."

Gravina concluded: "We must change our mindset. It starts with management, and the players must set the example on the pitch."

AI翻訳。

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