The president of the Italian Football Federation, Gabriele Gravina, resigned after Italy failed to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup.
The four-time world champions lost once again in the play-off final, losing 4-1 on penalties to Bosnia and Herzegovina on Tuesday.
No previous tournament winner has missed out on three consecutive World Cups, which has now happened to Italy after failing to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia and the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Also, former legendary goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, who worked closely with the men's national team, resigned as head of the delegation via Instagram.
Buffon, who was part of the Italy squad that won the 2006 World Cup, wrote that with Gravina's decision to leave, he felt "as an act of responsibility" that he had to do the same.
"The main goal was to get Italy back to the World Cup. And we didn't do it," added Buffon, 48.
"It is right to leave it to those who will come after me the freedom to choose the person they think is best suited for my role."
Gravina, 72, who is also UEFA's first vice-president, announced his resignation after a meeting held at the headquarters of the Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio (FIGC) in Rome.
He took over in October 2018, after his predecessor Carlo Tavecchio resigned following Italy's failure to beat Sweden in the World Cup play-offs the year before.
Italy won Euro 2020 during Gravina's tenure, defeating England on penalties at Wembley Stadium.
However, the Italian football federation is under scrutiny after failing to qualify for this summer's World Cup to be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Gravina oversaw the appointment of former coach Luciano Spalletti and current coach Gennaro Gattuso. Before resigning, Gravina told reporters that he had asked Gattuso to stay in the job despite the failure to qualify for the World Cup.
In a statement, the FIGC said the vote to elect a new president will be held on June 22. Among the leading candidates to take the job is Giovanni Malagò, former head of the Italian Olympic Committee and president of the Milan-k2026 Winter Olympics organizing committee, it wrote. BBC.
