Guardiola Declines Italy National Team Coaching Role

Spanish coach Pep Guardiola has informed officials at the Italian Football Federation that he will not take on the role of head coach for the Italy national team, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport. This decision concludes the attempts by federation director Paolo Maldini to attract one of the world’s top coaches to lead the national team’s reconstruction.

Maldini and his advisor Leonardo had identified Guardiola as their primary target after their appointments within the federation’s new structure. The duo traveled last weekend to meet with the Spanish coach to discuss the possibility of him taking charge of the "Azzurri."

Maldini previously revealed that the federation had also contacted Carlo Ancelotti before entering negotiations with Guardiola. He explained that their priority was to reach out to coaches they consider among the best globally to assess their willingness to accept the challenge.

During a meeting of the Italian League Association, Maldini stated, "We cannot deny that we spoke with Carlo Ancelotti before talking to Pep. It was right to start with those we consider the best in the world, so we needed to understand their availability."

Despite serious negotiations, the deal with Guardiola faced several obstacles, notably his financial demands. Reports indicated that he requested an annual salary of up to 20 million euros (approximately 21.6 million dollars) to coach the Italian team. Meanwhile, the federation viewed exceeding 10 million euros (around 10.8 million dollars) per year as difficult, although officials confirmed their readiness to make exceptions for top-tier coaches.

The discussions were also influenced by Guardiola’s desire for a break after a decade-long tenure with Manchester City in the Premier League. The Spanish coach was considering stepping away from daily coaching duties to spend more time with his family.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Guardiola communicated his decision to the Italian delegation after thoroughly reviewing the offer. He concluded that the national team project did not align with his current career phase.

The report explained that Guardiola prefers future projects where he is fully involved with daily training sessions and direct work with players. In contrast, managing a national team requires relying more on a network of scouts and assistants, along with limited periods of player gatherings.

Andrea Pirlo Emerges as Leading Candidate

Maldini and Leonardo had outlined a long-term plan to restore Italy’s competitiveness on the global stage, spanning eight to ten years. This timeline does not match Guardiola’s current plans.

Following the unsuccessful attempt to sign Guardiola, Maldini has begun evaluating alternative options. Reports suggest that coach Andrea Pirlo has become the frontrunner for the position in the upcoming phase.