After 16 days of chaos, can Italian football reset for new era?
Italy's national football association (FIGC) has appointed Roberto Mancini as head coach, ending a chaotic 16-day search that led technical director Paolo Maldini and special advisor Leonardo to resign from their own roles. The saga began after Italy's failure to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup, prompting the resignations of FIGC president Gabriele Gravina and delegation chief Gianluigi Buffon, and the election of new president Giovanni Malago, who had promised a "hard reset" for Italian football.
Malago appointed Maldini on 12 July to oversee a four-year footballing project through to the 2030 World Cup, with finding a new manager as his first task. Maldini and Leonardo were rebuffed by top targets Pep Guardiola and Carlo Ancelotti, and were then blocked by the FIGC hierarchy from appointing Andrea Pirlo amid public criticism. The breakdown in trust between Malago and Maldini over the eventual choice of Mancini led to Maldini and Leonardo's swift, though reportedly amicable, departure after just over a fortnight in post.
- Roberto Mancini appointed Italy manager after chaotic search
- Paolo Maldini and Leonardo quit FIGC roles after 16 days
- Guardiola, Ancelotti and Pirlo were all approached and unavailable
New here? Start with this
Italy's national football team has failed to qualify for the World Cup for the third consecutive time, an unprecedented crisis that prompted the football association president to resign and forced a complete overhaul of the country's football leadership.
The newly elected president, Giovanni Malago, appointed Paolo Maldini, a legendary former player and football executive, to oversee a four-year recovery project and recruit a new manager. Maldini and his advisor Leonardo pursued leading international coaches including Pep Guardiola and Carlo Ancelotti, but were unsuccessful in recruiting either of them.
After just over two weeks, fundamental disagreements between Malago and Maldini over the choice of new manager led to both stepping down from their positions. The rapid turnover of leadership has exposed serious divisions within Italian football's governing structure at a moment when stability is critical for the national team's recovery.