Andrea Pirlo emerges as candidate for Italy national team coach

Yahoo Sports1 min read • Latest: Jul 24, 2026, 2:05 PM

Last updated Jul 24, 2026

Andrea Pirlo emerges as candidate for Italy national team coach
Summary

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.

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By the Numbers
  • 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.
Latest Updates
  • 2:05 PMYahoo SportsThe strong bond between Mancini and Pirlo after exchanging Italy roles
What they're saying
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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...

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