Paolo Maldini's return to Italian football lasted less than three weeks. The AC Milan legend has resigned as technical director of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) after just 16 days in the role, with his adviser Leonardo also stepping down. The resignation brings an abrupt and embarrassing end to what had been presented as a new dawn for Italian football.
The trigger for the collapse was the rejection of Maldini and Leonardo's preferred candidate for the Italy head coach job — Andrea Pirlo. The former Azzurri midfielder had emerged as the leading choice after Pep Guardiola turned down the role, but Pirlo was ruled out after it emerged he holds a global ambassadorial role with Russian bookmaker Fonbet. Concerns from FIGC officials and Italian politicians over the link — given the ongoing war in Ukraine — made his appointment politically untenable.
Pirlo released a statement defending his position, insisting his relationship with the company was purely commercial and that he had never expressed political views of any kind. But the damage was done, and talks with him were formally ended on Sunday.
The collapse of the Pirlo appointment effectively ended Maldini's project before it had even begun. Both Maldini and Leonardo, who had been announced as FIGC appointments just 16 days earlier in what the federation called a bold new direction, walked away rather than work within a process that had so publicly undermined their choice.
FIGC president Giovanni Malago is now leading the head coach search personally. Roberto Mancini has emerged as the frontrunner. The former Italy boss guided the Azzurri to Euro 2020 glory against England at Wembley and held the job for over five years before resigning in August 2023. He has since been managing Qatari club Al Sadd.
Antonio Conte, who took charge of the national team from 2014 to 2016, is also under consideration, though there has been no direct contact with him as yet. Carlo Ancelotti was approached even before Guardiola, but is committed to his role as Brazil head coach.
The irony of Italy's situation is stark. The Azzurri failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup — missing out for a third consecutive tournament — and Maldini and Leonardo were recruited to reshape the entire footballing structure. Instead, they leave behind more uncertainty than they arrived with.
For Maldini, it's a second difficult parting from a major Italian football institution. He left AC Milan in 2023 after the club's ownership made decisions that bypassed him. Now, the FIGC's inability to back his vision has ended his involvement just as it started. A sad chapter for one of football's greatest ever figures.
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