Italian Football Federation president Giovanni Malago has confirmed that the organization held talks with Pep Guardiola regarding the vacant national team head coach position. The federation is considering financial “exceptions” to attract the former Manchester City manager, though officials emphasized that no final agreement has been reached.
Federation Confirms High-Level Talks
The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) is actively pursuing Pep Guardiola to lead the national team. Following the resignation of Gennaro Gattuso in April—a move prompted by Italy’s failure to qualify for a third World Cup in a row—the federation has been searching for a successor to stabilize the squad.
Giovanni Malago, president of the FIGC, confirmed the dialogue in an interview with the digital sports platform Cronache di spogliatoio. He acknowledged that the federation is prepared to break from standard fiscal norms to secure a manager of Guardiola’s stature. Exceptions have been made, exceptions that for example may concern the name that is so overbearing in these hours: Pep Guardiola,
Malago stated, as noted by theguardian.com.
The Challenges of a Potential Appointment
Despite the high-profile nature of the negotiations, Malago urged caution regarding the likelihood of a deal. The federation president noted that while the discussions are significant, success is far from guaranteed. Exceptions for obvious reasons that I am not here to explain, but it is not certain that this thing will go through,
Malago said.
Guardiola, who concluded a 10-year tenure at Manchester City this past May, has a deep familiarity with Italian football. He spent two seasons in Serie A between 2001 and 2003, playing for Brescia and Roma. Despite this history, he has never served as a head coach within the country. His departure from Manchester was marked by visible exhaustion, with Guardiola stating at the time, I am so tired. Seriously, I am so tired.
For more on this story, see Pep Guardiola in Talks to Manage Italy as Federation Considers Pay Exception.
Alternative Candidates and Selection Criteria
Guardiola is not the only name under consideration for the role. The FIGC is evaluating a shortlist that includes several high-profile managers with deep ties to the Italian game. Among those being vetted are former Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini, who led Italy to victory at Euro 2020, and former midfielder Andrea Pirlo, currently the manager of Dubai United.
When questioned on whether the search was limited to these three individuals, Malago dismissed the notion, emphasizing that the federation is focused on a specific managerial profile. Absolutely not. We think about a certain profile and certainly these names fall into that category,
he told reporters.
Historical Context and Future Decisions
The appointment of a foreign manager would be a departure from tradition for the Italian national team. Throughout its history, the squad has been managed by non-Italians on only two occasions: Hungarian Lajos Czeizler in the 1950s and the Argentine Helenio Herrera, who served as a joint manager in the following decade.
For now, the football world awaits a formal decision as the FIGC continues its search for a permanent successor to restore Italy’s standing on the international stage.
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