Overview
- The FIGC announced Saturday that Paolo Maldini has accepted the newly created post of technical director and President of Club Italia to oversee the federation’s technical sector.
- The federation confirmed that former Milan teammate Leonardo will join Maldini as an adviser and multiple outlets report both signed four‑year deals running toward the 2030 World Cup.
- Maldini’s first priority is finding a new head coach for the senior side, and reports name Roberto Mancini and Antonio Conte as leading contenders while Pep Guardiola has re‑emerged as a costly but possible option.
- Senior figures including Fabio Capello, Dino Zoff and Beppe Bergomi have publicly backed Maldini and urged the FIGC to give him operational freedom to reform youth development, scouting and the coach pathway.
- The appointment aims to fix structural failures that left Italy out of three straight World Cups, and its success will depend on Maldini’s authority over federation‑club relations, budget limits for a top coach, and the renewal of youth-to-senior pipelines.