Why Malagò blocked Pirlo's Italy appointment
Quick summary
Former Italian Olympic Committee president Giovanni Malagò reportedly blocked Andrea Pirlo from being appointed as Italy national team head coach.
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Attributed to original sourceAndrea Pirlo has recently confirmed that he is no longer in the running to take over as the next head coach of the Italy national team, and reports in Italy indicate that it was FIGC President Giovanni Malagò who ‘blocked’ the appointment.
Report: Malagò responsible for blocking Pirlo appointment The search for a new Italy head coach has descended into chaos. FIGC technical director Paolo Maldini had originally sought to appoint either Carlo Ancelotti or Pep Guardiola, but after learning that neither would be joining the project, he decided to turn to Pirlo instead.
Pirlo’s candidacy became complicated when it was uncovered that he was a global brand ambassador for the Russian betting company Fonbet. Aside from the question of morality, there are also strict laws regarding the advertising of gambling in Italy, which again complicated Pirlo’s path to the Azzurri hot seat.
Pirlo clarified his stance in a statement posted to social media on Sunday evening, claiming that “I always performed my duties within full respect of the laws of the countries I worked in, and the contracts that I signed.”
Pirlo has since posted an updated version of this statement , confirming that he was informed late on Sunday night that he was no longer in the running to take over as Italy head coach.
According to reports from Gianluca Di Marzio, Pirlo’s involvement with Fonbet had been settled, however, due to the ‘political pressure’ around the situation, FIGC President Malagò decided to block his appointment.
CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, ITALY – MARCH 05: Giovanni Malago, President of the Organising Committee for the 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, speaks during the Paralympic Games Opening Press Conference ahead of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympic Games at on March 05, 2026 in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. (Photo by Mattia Ozbot/Getty Images) What happens next remains to be seen: Several outlets in Italy have suggested that Maldini and advisor Leonardo could even walk away from their positions as a result of the decision to block Pirlo’s appointment. The pair were only appointed a fortnight ago .
As for the next head coach, the initial reports suggest that Antonio Conte and Roberto Mancini’s names could come back into circulation and that Stefano Pioli and Raffaele Palladino are among the alternative options.
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What happened
Andrea Pirlo was a leading candidate to become the next head coach of the Italy national team, but the appointment was blocked by Giovanni Malagò, the former president of CONI (Italian National Olympic Committee). Malagò reportedly raised concerns about Pirlo's lack of top-level coaching experience and his limited tenure in management, preferring a more established candidate. The decision frustrated Pirlo and his representatives, who felt his playing pedigree and tactical ideas warranted the opportunity. Italy's football federation (FIGC) ultimately moved in a different direction for the coaching role.
Chance analysis
This story illuminates the political dynamics within Italian football governance, where the Olympic Committee (CONI) retains significant influence over national federation decisions. Pirlo's blocked appointment reflects institutional skepticism toward hiring coaches based primarily on playing reputation rather than managerial track record, especially ahead of major tournaments. The episode could affect Pirlo's future career trajectory and signals that FIGC may favor a more experienced profile for the Italy job.
Pirlo remains without a major coaching role; Italy's coaching search is pushed toward more experienced candidates.
No direct match prediction impact, but signals Italy's likely next managerial appointment will favor experience over reputation.