Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso on Monday urged his players to show “maximum commitment” as the Azzurri’s direct qualification for the 2026 World Cup is no longer guaranteed.

Italy face Moldova away on Thursday before hosting Norway in Milan on Sunday. The Azzurri sit second in Group I, three points behind leaders Norway.

“This won’t be an easy outing; I want to see maximum commitment to continue what we started in September,” Gattuso said at a pre-match press conference.

“Against Moldova, we’ll give opportunities to players who haven’t had much playing time, but we need to focus on ourselves, not on what Norway does,” he added.

Gattuso emphasized that the Moldova match is crucial, while preparation for Norway will be more straightforward. “We know Norway can cause problems with their speed, physicality, and exceptional style of play,” the former AC Milan and Napoli coach said.

Italy missed the last two World Cups but are guaranteed a spot in the playoffs as group runners-up. They still have a mathematical chance to top Group I and qualify directly for the 2026 World Cup in North America by beating both Moldova and Norway. However, they would need large-margin victories in both games to overcome Norway’s superior goal difference.

Gattuso will be without Fiorentina striker Moise Kean, who has scored six goals in his last four appearances for Italy but is sidelined with an injury. Liverpool winger Federico Chiesa has also opted out of the November international break, having not played for Italy since the 2024 Euros.

Since taking over from Luciano Spalletti, who was dismissed after a 3-0 defeat in Oslo in June, Gattuso has revitalized the team. Italy have now recorded four consecutive wins, scoring 16 goals in that span.

The former AC Milan star also explained that a training camp initially planned for March ahead of the playoffs could not take place “due to a lack of available slots in the schedule.”

“It’s up to us to do our best by scouting players both in Italy and abroad,” Gattuso concluded.