Antonio Conte emerges as leading candidate for Italy head coach role
Quick summary
Reports in Italy say Antonio Conte is the preferred candidate to become the next Italy national team coach. FIGC presidential contenders Giovanni Malagò and Giancarlo Abete are said to support his appointment.
Full article
Attributed to original sourceAntonio Conte has emerged as the top choice to become the new Italy national team coach, with backing from FIGC presidential candidates Giovanni Malagò and Giancarlo Abete, reports Gazzetta.
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Napoli coach Conte is the leading candidate to replace Gennaro Gattuso as Italy’s national team coach.
Why Conte is favourite to become new Italy coach According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the Partenopei boss has the backing from Malagò and Abete, who are expected to be among the candidates for the FIGC Presidency.
The new president of the Italian FA will only be voted on June 22, so the next two Azzurri games, played earlier that month, will be managed by a caretaker coach.
Gazzetta wrote on its front page on Wednesday that both Abete and Malagò see Conte as the ideal option to lead the Azzurri towards qualification for Euro 2028 and beyond.
Currently, not all the candidates for the FIGC Presidency have been disclosed, and neither Malagò, 67, nor Abete, 75, have officially confirmed that they’ll run for the role.
However, according to multiple reports, both are among the leading contenders, despite rumours that Azzurri legends Paolo Maldini, Alessandro Del Piero and Demetrio Albertini might be involved in the race for the presidency.
NAPLES, ITALY – JANUARY 28: Antonio Conte, Head Coach of SSC Napoli, reacts from the technical area during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD8 match between SSC Napoli and Chelsea FC at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on January 28, 2026 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Tullio M. Puglia/Getty Images) Currently, Roberto Mancini and Massimiliano Allegri are the main alternatives to Conte, reports Gazzetta.
Conte’s contract at the Stadio Maradona runs out in June 2027, but Napoli President Aurelio De Laurentiis has already claimed that he’d let the Italian tactician become the Azzurri national team coach .
Antonio Conte Aurelio De Laurentiis Napoli Read more – Napoli identify replacement in case Conte leaves to take over Italy national team
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What happened
Antonio Conte has reportedly become the leading option to replace Gennaro Gattuso as Italy coach, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport. The report says FIGC presidential candidates Giovanni Malagò and Giancarlo Abete both view Conte as the ideal choice to lead the Azzurri toward Euro 2028 qualification and beyond. Because the FIGC presidential election is scheduled for June 22, Italy's next two matches are expected to be handled by a caretaker coach. Conte is currently under contract with Napoli until 2027, although Aurelio De Laurentiis has previously suggested he would allow him to take the national team job.
Chance analysis
This matters because a Conte appointment would likely signal a major tactical and cultural reset for Italy, given his strong identity, structure, and track record in tournament and qualification environments. It also creates uncertainty around Napoli's medium-term coaching stability, which could affect squad planning and expectations if the move progresses.
Likely positive for Italy's longer-term direction, but potentially destabilizing for Napoli if Conte departs.
Treat this as a credible managerial signal that could improve Italy's medium-term outlook while introducing uncertainty around Napoli if Conte leaves.