Italy's football federation first approached Carlo Ancelotti to become their next national team manager before opening talks with Pep Guardiola, technical director Paolo Maldini has revealed.
The admission came as the Azzurri continue to search for a head coach after Gennaro Gattuso resigned in April following the country's failure to qualify for a third successive World Cup. Italy missed out on the 2026 tournament after a playoff loss to Bosnia and Herzegovina in March, prompting the resignations of FIGC president Gabriele Gravina and Gattuso.
“Italy first approached Carlo Ancelotti before Pep Guardiola as manager, Maldini confirms.”
“We cannot hide the fact that we also spoke to Carlo before talking to Pep,” Maldini told a news conference. “Frankly, it seemed right to start with those we considered the best in the world.”
Ancelotti, a former teammate of Maldini for both Italy and AC Milan, currently manages Brazil and signed a contract extension in May through to the 2030 World Cup. Despite Brazil's shock last-16 exit to Norway in 2026, the Brazilian Football Confederation confirmed the 67-year-old will remain in charge of the five-time world champions.
Maldini, who was named FIGC technical director at the start of the month, said the federation would ideally appoint a coach by the end of the week but stressed the priority was getting the right person. “The best thing would be to announce the new coach this week, but even more to wait for the person we really want,” he added.
Guardiola, 55, left Manchester City this summer after a trophy-laden decade in which he won six Premier League titles, three FA Cups, five League Cups and the Champions League. He is now out of work and has held talks with Italy. FIGC president Giovanni Malago earlier said “exceptions” could be made for Guardiola's salary, with Italian outlet La Gazzetta dello Sport reporting the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich coach was seeking 20m euros (£17m) per year — double what Italy was offering.
Maldini and special advisor Leonardo spent three days in Barcelona recently to speak with Guardiola about the role. “Honestly, today we can’t give news about what’s happening,” Maldini said. “You’ve identified one of our targets.”
Former Italy managers Antonio Conte and Roberto Mancini, as well as former Azzurri midfielder Andrea Pirlo, have also been linked with the job. Italy, four-time world champions, remain in crisis after missing three consecutive World Cups for the first time in their history.
