Italy’s Gennaro Gattuso to retire from international football

CAPE TOWN - Italian midfielder Gennaro Gattuso said Saturday that he would retire from international football after the World Cup.

The decision of the veteran AC Milan player comes just two days before Italy start the defence of their World Cup trophy against Paraguay here. He also expressed his ambition to one day become Italy coach.

“I’m turning 33 and given the position I play in it’s only right to move over for those with more gas,” Gattuso was quoted as saying by The Daily Telegraph Saturday.

“After that my dream is to go to the World Cup as Italy coach.”

The 2010 World Cup here will be Gattuso’s third World Cup. He was an integral member of the side that defeated France in the final four years ago and also appeared for his country as Italy reached the quarter finals in 1998 and second round in 2002.

However, in the current side, Gattuso is no longer a guaranteed starter but the 32-year-old still insists he deserves his place in the squad.

“I’ve had a hard season (with injuries) and I know it wasn’t brilliant but Lippi has given me the chance to be here,” Gattuso said.

“If I have a regret (this season) it’s that I played when I was injured but you all know what I’m like, I played and I paid for it (in terms of form and availability). But that doesn’t mean that I’m finished. I’ve still got the desire and the determination and I hope to show it. And even if they ask me to carry the water, I’ll do it.”

Gattuso also criticised the excessively tight security in South Africa, saying it was a detraction.

“The World Cup atmosphere is always great but the one thing I don’t like is that every time you want to go somewhere, not just us but you (journalists) too, you have to have a police escort,” he said.

“That’s not the World Cup, the World Cup is supposed to be about joy. Even if you want to go down to the shopping mall you have to have a police escort, that’s a bit annoying but otherwise everything else is great.”