Pep Guardiola has held talks with the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) over becoming Italy’s next head coach, in one of the most ambitious managerial moves in the Azzurri’s modern history.
The former Manchester City manager, now a free agent for the first time in a decade, met senior FIGC officials in Barcelona this week, according to Sky in Italy.
Maldini and Leonardo spearhead Italian reboot
Paolo Maldini, recently appointed as the FIGC’s new technical director, and his advisor Leonardo travelled to Spain for a three-day summit with Guardiola, setting out a detailed vision for the future of the Italian national team.
The talks mark the most concrete step yet in Italy’s attempts to rebuild after a period of sustained decline. The federation hired Maldini and Leonardo as part of a sweeping overhaul following Italy’s failure to reach a third consecutive World Cup.
Their immediate brief is to find a successor to Gennaro Gattuso, who resigned after Italy again missed out on qualification for this summer’s tournament in North America.
Guardiola is understood to be the FIGC’s first-choice candidate, although Roberto Mancini and Andrea Pirlo are also under consideration.
A serial winner at a crossroads
Guardiola left Manchester City this summer after a glittering 10-year spell in charge, during which he won 20 trophies and posted a win rate of 70.8%. His departure ended one of the most dominant eras in modern club football.
Italy’s interest comes at a time when the 53-year-old is publicly weighing up his next move and has repeatedly spoken about the physical and emotional demands of elite club management.
Speaking to Sky Sports a year before his exit from City, Guardiola was explicit that he intended to step away from coaching once his time at the Etihad ended.
“No plans for [coaching] for a while. Otherwise I would be here. I need to step back. I will not [coach] for a while,” he said in his final Manchester City press conference.
“I feel I will not have the energy every day, with expectations to fight for the title. I know myself, I have that energy, but I feel like I will not have it [in the future].”
In a separate Sky Sports interview, he underlined the personal reasons behind his decision.
“There are things that I have not done that I want to do. I still have my father alive. I want to spend more time with him. My kids… And a lot of things as a human being I can do. I’m fortunate I can decide, that’s why I took this decision.”
Italy in crisis after post-Euro 2021 slump
The FIGC’s pursuit of Guardiola comes against a bleak competitive backdrop.
Since winning Euro 2020 (played in 2021) under Roberto Mancini, Italy have failed to qualify for the last three major tournaments, including a hat-trick of World Cup absences. That run of failures has prompted intense domestic criticism and forced the federation into drastic reform.
Maldini and Leonardo’s appointment is designed to modernise Italian football structures and restore the national team’s standing. Bringing in Guardiola – widely regarded as one of the game’s most influential tacticians – would be a statement of intent on and off the pitch.
England links and Guardiola’s view on national teams
Guardiola has long been linked with a move into international football and has previously hinted that managing a national side holds a different appeal from club work.
In an interview with chef Dani Garcia in 2024, he ruled out leaving Manchester City simply to repeat his club role elsewhere.
“What I’m not going to do is leave Manchester City and go to another country to do the same thing as I am now.
“I wouldn’t have the energy to do so. I’m still here doing what I am today. But the thought of starting somewhere else, with all the process of the training and so on… no, no, no! Maybe a national team, but that’s different.”
He has also been linked with England. In 2024, it was widely reported that Guardiola had a verbal agreement with the Football Association to succeed Gareth Southgate as England manager. However, he ultimately chose to remain at Manchester City, and Thomas Tuchel was instead appointed.
Tuchel has since led England to their best World Cup finish on foreign soil and is under contract until the end of Euro 2028, having signed an extension in February and pledged to see out the deal.
Decision time for Guardiola – and Italy
For now, it is unclear whether Guardiola is willing to end his planned sabbatical to take the Italy job. The FIGC, though, is making a determined pitch, believing his track record and style could revitalise a side struggling to recapture past glories.
Italy’s search for Gattuso’s replacement continues, but their pursuit of Guardiola underlines the scale of their ambition – and raises the prospect of one of world football’s most decorated coaches stepping onto the international stage with one of its most storied national teams.
