Italian football has been thrown into turmoil after legendary defender Paolo Maldini resigned as technical director of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) just 16 days after taking office. His adviser and former Brazil international Leonardo also stepped down, deepening the crisis surrounding the federation’s ambitious restructuring plans.
The resignations came shortly after the FIGC abandoned its plan to appoint Andrea Pirlo as the new head coach of the Italian national team.
Maldini was appointed technical director on July 11 as part of the federation’s efforts to rebuild Italian football following the national team’s failure to qualify for the FIFA World Cup for a third consecutive time. After the departure of Gennaro Gattuso, the federation initially approached Pep Guardiola, who declined the offer. Maldini and Leonardo then identified Pirlo as their preferred candidate for the role.
However, just as negotiations with Pirlo were nearing completion, reports emerged that the former midfielder had a commercial partnership with a Russian betting company. The revelation sparked strong opposition from both the federation and political figures, prompting the FIGC to abandon the appointment.
According to reports, Maldini decided to resign after being denied full authority over the coaching selection process and facing obstacles in implementing his long-term vision for the national team.
The development represents a significant setback for newly elected FIGC President Giovanni Malagò, who now faces renewed pressure to appoint a head coach ahead of the upcoming UEFA Nations League campaign.
With Pirlo no longer in contention, Roberto Mancini, Thiago Motta, and Antonio Conte have emerged as the leading candidates to take charge of the Azzurri.
