Martin O’Neill says ‘extraordinary’ off-field Gennaro Gattuso moment at Celtic made him ‘go ballistic’

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Gennaro Gattuso was a fiery character during his days on the football pitch.

Celtic fans will remember the former midfielder during his days in Glasgow, when he played for Rangers and their attempt to win the ten was stopped.

But that’s not the only time Gattuso has faced Scotland’s most successful club, because he also locked horns with Martin O’Neill’s legendary team during his days in AC Milan colours.

It’s fair to say that Gattuso’s aggressive ways on the pitch could wind up absolutely everyone, including his own teammates, because he was so in your face and didn’t go down without a fight.

But there is one moment involving the two-time European Cup winner, which the player himself wasn’t at fault for, that left O’Neill fuming.

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Why Martin O’Neill went ‘ballistic’ as Celtic manager against AC Milan

You hear about players swapping shirts with one another after matches, but very rarely do you see referees asking the players for their shirts.

It’s fair to say that, an official asking for Gattuso’s shirt after AC Milan’s clash against Celtic in the Champions League at the San Siro, didn’t sit well with O’Neill.

And he recalled that ‘ridiculous’ and ‘extraordinary’ moment on talkSPORT.

“I remember a thing, Gattuso was playing for Milan,” said O’Neill. “We were playing them at the San Siro. Celtic in the Champions League.

“And, at the end of the game, as we were walking off the pitch, just as we were getting into the tunnel. The referee goes and asks for Gattuso’s shirt.

“Extraordinary. I went ballistic. Absolutely. Ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous. Gattuso is a player. I think the referee was right out of order. He could have waited another 15 minutes, and then sneaked into their dressing room, sat down and had some tea with him.

“Yeah, he did (get the shirt). The answer is no (I didn’t want the shirt).”

Why is Gennaro Gattuso making the headlines now?

Gattuso hung up his boots in 2013 at Sion, including his incredible 13-year spell at Milan, and since then, he has tried his hand at management, with very little success.

The 47-year-old has had ten different managerial stints in the dugout, including for the likes of Valencia and Marseille, but now he has been handed the ultimate gig.

The man who won the 2006 World Cup with Italy has now been named coach of his national side, as he aims to guide the Azzurri to their first World Cup tournament since 2014.

The 2026 World Cup takes place in America, including co-hosts from Canada and Mexico, as several Celtic stars will be hoping to reach football’s biggest stage.