Andrea Pirlo emerges as candidate for Italy national team coach
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Jul 24, 2026, 2:05 PM
Last updated Jul 24, 2026
Andrea Pirlo is reportedly the frontrunner to become the head coach of the Italy national soccer team. This development follows Pep Guardiola's decision to decline the position proposed by the FIGC. Paolo Maldini, recently appointed as the Azzurri’s technical director, is instrumental in the selection process. Maldini previously expressed interest in hiring Pirlo as AC Milan’s coach in 2023, but circumstances changed following his dismissal from the club. Although they never played together for Italy, their successful partnership at Milan has fostered a strong bond over the years.
- •Pirlo is seen as the leading candidate for Italy's head coach role.
- •Guardiola declined the coaching position offered by the FIGC.
- •Maldini oversees the head coach selection process for the Azzurri.
- •Pirlo and Maldini won multiple trophies together at Milan.
- •They never played alongside each other for the national team.
- 2:05 PMYahoo Sports — The strong bond between Mancini and Pirlo after exchanging Italy roles
"Andrea Pirlo and Paolo Maldini have built a strong bond during their time at Milan, but they never got to play together with the national team, as the ex-midfielder made his debut just a few months af...
Sources
External linksOriginal reporting and copyright belong to the linked sources. SportsNewsReport.com aggregates and links — it does not republish full articles.
Related Stories
Last 14 days- Champions League•Jul 28, 2026, 3:25 PMRanieri goes from retirement to new Italy role at almost 75
- Champions League•Jul 28, 2026, 6:20 AMSvilar snubs Juventus: “For me there is only Roma. I’m focused on giving my best for this team.”
- Champions League•Jul 27, 2026, 10:00 PMReport: Como enter the race to sign Bologna’s Jhon Lucumí
- Champions League•Jul 27, 2026, 9:15 PMFEATURE | What to expect from Zinédine Zidane’s appointment as France’s national team manager
- Champions League•Jul 27, 2026, 7:15 PMJohn Stones set for Inter Milan switch after rejecting Arsenal & Chelsea
- Champions League•Jul 27, 2026, 5:30 PMManchester City ready to sanction high-profile midfield exit after Ayyoub Bouaddi signing
