Paolo Maldini and his special advisor Leonardo have resigned from the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) after just 16 days in their roles, following a dramatic breakdown over the appointment of the next Italy head coach.
Maldini was appointed as the technical director of Club Italia on July 11 under new FIGC President Giovanni Malagò, with Leonardo joining as his special advisor. The positions were created specifically to give greater autonomy and a fresh identity to the Italian national team structure, unifying youth levels and academies under a single vision.
But the project collapsed when the federation's top three coaching targets all fell through, igniting tensions between Maldini and President Malagò. Carlo Ancelotti and Pep Guardiola each turned down the opportunity to lead the Azzurri. The third choice, Andrea Pirlo, had his appointment blocked because of his role as a global brand ambassador for Russian betting company Fonbet — a legal and ethical conflict given Italy's strict prohibition on gambling advertising.
According to Sky Sport Italia, Maldini and Leonardo informed Malagò of their decision to resign on Sunday evening. An official announcement is expected shortly.
The fallout has drawn sharp criticism from Giancarlo Abete, the Lega Serie D President who lost to Malagò in the FIGC presidential election. Speaking after Monday's summit, Abete warned that the resignation exposed fundamental flaws in the federation's planning.
"If the President chooses the coach first, then a technical director, nothing has changed," Abete told reporters. "The idea of giving more power to someone in charge of Club Italia was based on the fact that the last three Presidents of the FIGC paid for their role as Presidents of Club Italia. Now we go back to the old way of doing things."
Roberto Mancini has emerged as the leading candidate to take over as Italy coach, with reports suggesting Malagò will appoint a new coach before selecting a replacement technical director — a sequence that directly contradicts the reform project Maldini was hired to oversee.
The FIGC now faces the task of rebuilding its technical leadership just weeks before preparations for the 2026 World Cup cycle intensify.
Sources
- https://football-italia.net/report-maldini-leonardo-to-resign-italy-roles/
- https://football-italia.net/abete-nothing-has-changed-italy-coach-chosen/
