Former Italy midfielder and current Lazio manager Gennaro Gattuso has revealed details of his 15-year struggle with an autoimmune condition during an appearance in Italy.
The 2006 World Cup winner disclosed at the Festival dello Sport that he relies on daily cortisone treatment to control ocular myasthenia gravis and preserve his eyesight.
Gattuso explained that he had taken cortisone for a decade and a half because he could not see properly without using cortisone or Diprospan medication. He said symptoms directly affect his vision whenever he misses the treatment.
The Italian coach stated that he had accepted the medical condition over time by observing more severe cases caused by the disorder. He added that he refused to let the illness dominate him, declaring that he was stronger than the disease despite the daily toll of medication.
Ocular myasthenia gravis is a chronic autoimmune disorder caused by an immune system malfunction that disrupts communication between nerves and muscles. While general myasthenia gravis leads to weakness in voluntary muscle groups across the body, the ocular variant specifically targets extraocular muscles that govern eye movement and eyelid positioning, often causing drooping eyelids and double vision.
Daily treatment and lifestyle changes
The daily medical regime forced major lifestyle alterations for the Lazio manager. Gattuso revealed that he had completely given up consuming alcoholic beverages almost seven years ago in order to counteract the side effects of prolonged steroid use.
He explained that continuing to drink alcohol alongside daily cortisone therapy would have caused his body weight to swell to 200 kilograms.
Gattuso established his reputation as one of European football's most competitive defensive midfielders during a glittering playing career dominated by his time at AC Milan and with the Italian national side. Renowned for his tireless work rate and aggressive tackling, he helped Italy capture the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany and won two UEFA Champions League titles alongside two Serie A championships during his 13 years in Milan.
Since transitioning to the touchline, he has managed several prominent European clubs, including AC Milan, Napoli, Valencia, and Marseille, before taking over at Roman club Lazio.
World Cup qualification disappointment
During the interview, Gattuso also reflected on recent sporting frustration after failing to lead Italy to qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The national team was eliminated from contention during the European qualifying playoffs, suffering a defeat on penalties against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Gattuso confessed that the playoff exit caused him deep personal pain and constituted a major setback in his coaching career. He explained that while he maintained very few regrets regarding his overall managerial trajectory, missing out on the tournament was an immense disappointment.
The manager acknowledged that he experienced persistent sleeplessness during the first few months following the penalty shootout loss. He said he eventually brought himself to watch the second stage of the World Cup, but emphasized that the emotional scar from the elimination would stay with him permanently.
Italy had been aiming to qualify for the 2026 World Cup tournament, which is hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Bosnia and Herzegovina secured their place in the next phase of competition by prevailing in the high-stakes playoff encounter.
Gattuso remains in charge at Lazio as the Serie A side targets domestic and European success during the ongoing football season.
