Italy coaching chaos: Pirlo ruled out, Maldini and Leonardo also out of the running
Quick summary
Italy's search for a new national team coach and technical director is in disarray, with Andrea Pirlo reportedly not getting the job and Paolo Maldini and Leonardo also seemingly out of the picture.
Full article
Attributed to original sourceItalian football is facing another period of uncertainty after Andrea Pirlo confirmed that he will not become the next head coach of the Italy national team. Follow the Football Italia LIVE YouTube show and join the debate!
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Why won’t Pirlo get the Italy job? The former World Cup winner had emerged as a leading candidate for the role, but political controversy surrounding his position as a brand ambassador for a Russian betting company sparked widespread criticism, ultimately ending his chances of taking charge of the Azzurri.
EMPOLI, ITALY – OCTOBER 01: Paolo Maldini of AC Milan looks on during the Serie A match between Empoli FC and AC MIlan at Stadio Carlo Castellani on October 1, 2022 in Empoli, Italy. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images) Pirlo’s withdrawal, however, may only be the beginning of a much bigger shake-up. Reports in Italy suggest that Paolo Maldini and Leonardo are also considering stepping away from their respective roles, raising fresh concerns about the direction of Italian football at both federation and club level.
If those departures are confirmed, three of the country’s most iconic football figures could all be exiting the spotlight within a matter of days.
CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, ITALY – MARCH 5: Giovanni Malago, President of the Organising Committee for the 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, speaks during the mural inauguration ahead of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympic Games at the Cortina Paralympic Village on March 05, 2026 in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. (Photo by Linnea Rheborg/Getty Images for IPC) Here’s a closer look at why Pirlo’s appointment collapsed, what’s happening with Maldini and Leonardo, and what these developments could mean for the future of Italian football.
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What happened
The FIGC's plans to appoint a new Italy head coach and sporting director are unraveling. Andrea Pirlo, widely considered a leading candidate, is now unlikely to be appointed. Meanwhile, the proposed technical director duo of Paolo Maldini and Leonardo appears to have collapsed as well. This leaves the Italian football federation scrambling for alternatives with Euro qualifiers and international fixtures on the horizon, raising concerns about stability ahead of a critical period for the Azzurri.
Chance analysis
This is a significant governance crisis for Italian football. With the coaching and technical direction positions unresolved, Italy risks entering competitive matches without clear tactical identity or recruitment strategy. The failure to land high-profile figures like Pirlo, Maldini, and Leonardo suggests deeper structural issues within the FIGC. For prediction systems, uncertainty around the next Italy manager affects how the Azzurri's tactical setup and selection choices should be modeled in upcoming fixtures.
Italy's upcoming matches face heightened unpredictability due to unresolved coaching and technical leadership, potentially affecting tactical cohesion and squad selection.
Treat Italy's next matches with elevated uncertainty until a permanent coach and technical director are confirmed, as tactical identity and squad selection remain unresolved.