Paolo Maldini and Leonardo have resigned from their positions with the Italian national team after just 16 days in post, bringing a sudden end to their brief tenure following a bitter dispute over the appointment of a new head coach.
Power Struggle Over Pirlo
The former AC Milan defender and his advisor stepped down on Monday after FIGC President Giovanni Malagò rejected their preferred candidate, Andrea Pirlo, for the managerial vacancy. The disagreement centred on whether Pirlo was the appropriate choice to lead the Azzurri, with Malagò instead favouring more experienced options.
According to reports in Corriere della Sera, Gazzetta dello Sport and Tuttosport, Malagò had actively pushed for either Antonio Conte or Roberto Mancini to take the role. When Maldini and Leonardo proposed Thiago Motta as an alternative compromise, this suggestion was also dismissed by the federation president.
The dispute reached a head during 24 hours of intense discussions between the parties. Malagò reportedly told Maldini: “Pirlo was an unfortunate decision, but I am the president and, at this point, I take responsibility and I make the decision.”
Maldini informed Pirlo on Sunday evening that he would not be appointed, before both he and Leonardo submitted their resignations. In a statement reflecting their position, the pair said: “They do not want change.”
Fallout for Italian Football
Maldini felt betrayed by the outcome, believing that controversy surrounding Pirlo’s commercial links to a Russian betting company provided a convenient political excuse to block the appointment. The technical director had viewed Pirlo as the candidate best suited to implement a new philosophy with the national side.
The swift collapse of the arrangement leaves the Italian Football Federation without technical leadership at a critical juncture. With Maldini and Leonardo citing compromised decision-making autonomy as their reason for departure, the FIGC must now restart its search for both a technical director and a head coach while navigating significant internal discord.
The episode highlights a fundamental power struggle within Italian football’s governing body, questioning whether future technical directors will be granted genuine authority over sporting decisions or remain subordinate to presidential preference.