The Italy football coach Cesare Prandelli has resigned after his team's elimination from the World Cup following a controversial 1-0 defeat by Uruguay.
Prandelli, who only extended his contract last month, says when there is failure, the person in charge must take responsibility.
The Italian Football Federation president Giancarlo Abete, who also declared he was resigning, says he hopes to persuade Prandelli to change his mind.
Prandelli took over from Marcello Lippi as coach in 2010, after Italy were also knocked out in the first round in South Africa as defending champions.
Italy, four-times World Cup winners, leave Brazil after scoring just two goals in three matches - their lowest tally since 1966 when they were eliminated by North Korea in a national humiliation.
The Italy players and coach blasted Mexican match referee Marco Rodriguez after the final Group D game was overshadowed by a biting controversy involving Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez after Italy's Claudio Marchisio was sent off in the 59th minute.
Giorgio Chiellini, who says he was bitten, accused the official of bias for his failure to punish the Uruguayan.
Prandelli says the referee had 'ruined the game'.
Italy were sent packing after defender Diego Godin scored a dramatic winner nine minutes from time to put Uruguay into the last 16.
Despite the controversy, Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, the man of the match, says Italy must also shoulder the blame for their early departure.
