Guardiola Declines Italy Coaching Role As Pirlo Emerges Favourite

Pep Guardiola has rejected the opportunity to become the next head coach of the Italian national team, prompting the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) to intensify its search for an alternative successor.

According to reports from La Gazzetta dello Sport, Sky Sport Italia and other Italian media, Guardiola informed the FIGC that he would not accept the position despite positive discussions with the federation’s newly appointed technical director, Paolo Maldini.

Maldini, accompanied by former Brazil international Leonardo, travelled to Barcelona last weekend to meet Guardiola as part of the federation’s efforts to appoint one of football’s most accomplished managers to lead the Azzurri.

Speaking during the Lega Serie A assembly on Thursday, Maldini confirmed that Guardiola and Carlo Ancelotti were among the federation’s preferred candidates.

He said the federation had approached both coaches because they were regarded as among the best in the world and wanted to assess their availability before making a final decision.

Reports indicate Guardiola’s appointment was always considered difficult due to his reported annual salary demand of about €20 million, a figure beyond the financial limits the FIGC was prepared to offer despite its willingness to make exceptions for elite managers.

The Manchester City legend is also believed to want a break from management after completing a decade at the English club, with reports suggesting he intends to spend more time with his family before taking on another demanding role.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Guardiola informed the Italian delegation that although he seriously considered the proposal, managing the national team was not the right project for him at this stage of his career.

The report added that Guardiola prefers working in club football, where he can train and interact with players daily, rather than international management, which involves limited contact between international breaks.

Italy’s proposed long-term rebuilding plan also reportedly influenced his decision. Maldini and Leonardo are said to have presented an eight to ten-year project aimed at restoring the Azzurri to the top of world football, a timeline believed to be inconsistent with Guardiola’s immediate ambitions.

Following Guardiola’s decision, the FIGC has shifted its attention to other candidates, with former Italy midfielder Andrea Pirlo now emerging as the leading contender to become the country’s next head coach.