Gattuso shined again, but this time no longer on the pitch but in charge of Lazio, where he led the team to a 3‑1 victory against Monza, bringing the Biancocelesti to 16 points after six matchdays. The result has brought to the fore the prophecy of Christian Constantin, former president of Sion, who predicted, ten years ago, that Gattuso would become a world reference. Lazio's new season, which is approaching the top of Serie A together with Inter, was concrete proof of that prediction.
Gattuso's path to the bench began in 2013, when he was still a player at Sion. After a 4‑0 defeat against Thun, president Constantin appointed him player-manager on 25 February, transforming him into a leadership figure already on the pitch. Two days later, his first game in charge was the 2‑0 win against Lausanne in the Swiss Cup. Although his time at Sion was short, he left a lasting impression, according to Marco Degennaro, the club's general manager.
Degennaro recalled the speed with which Gattuso moved from the role of player to that of coach, underlining that his determination and team spirit, already evident when he was on the pitch, translated into effective leadership. "Gattuso has always had the same desire and spirit that we saw as a player. Today he is a different coach, much more mature and with great experience behind him," he declared.
After Sion, Gattuso accumulated experience in Italy and abroad, working with clubs such as Milan, Napoli, Valencia, Marseille and Hajduk Split, before being called up by the Italian national team. His Italian adventure, however, ended in 2026 when Italy did not qualify for the World Cup due to Bosnia. The episode was described by the coach as a wound that he tried to overcome by accepting Lotito's challenge against Lazio. Recent results confirm its ability to restart successfully.
Degennaro reiterated that signs of Gattuso's talent and leadership were already evident during his time at Sion. "The president was right, the signals that Rino was sending were clear already from his time at Sion. Gattuso had come to play and would have liked to plan his change of role better, but in reality he was already coaching us from the field", he explained. “Rino is a great person, I myself learned a lot from him,” he concluded, highlighting how Gattuso's maturity is the result of years of experiences, mistakes and restarts.
With Lazio now in the running for the title, Gattuso's future looks promising. If his leadership continues to guide the team towards the top, Constantin's prophecy will fully come true, consolidating Gattuso as one of the world references of modern football.