Pirlo Emerges as Maldini’s Choice for Italy Coach

Andrea Pirlo has moved to the front of the queue for the Italy job, with Paolo Maldini pushing hard for his former Milan teammate to become the next Azzurri coach, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport.

Maldini, now Italy’s technical director, and his advisor Leonardo have identified Pirlo as their ideal candidate to take charge of the national team. The vision is clear: a modern, possession-based Italy built around a coach who once dictated the rhythm of games from midfield.

There is, however, a crucial step left.

Malagò’s approval the final hurdle

FIGC President Giovanni Malagò must sign off on any appointment, and Gazzetta reports that he is expected to meet Pirlo shortly, potentially as early as today. The meeting is set to go beyond formalities: Malagò wants to hear Pirlo’s ideas first-hand, understand his tactical blueprint, and gauge how he intends to handle the pressure of restoring Italy to the top of the international game.

Maldini’s technical opinion carries significant weight, and the choice of coach has effectively been placed in his hands. Yet Malagò’s approval remains the final seal needed before any announcement.

Pirlo ahead, but not alone

Pirlo, currently coaching United FC in the UAE Pro League, has quietly emerged as the leading candidate after months of speculation dominated by two familiar names: Antonio Conte and Roberto Mancini.

Both remain in contention, Gazzetta stresses. Malagò is understood to hold Mancini in particularly high regard, a reflection of the coach’s previous work with the national team. Conte’s name has circled the debate for months as well, his reputation as a demanding, results-driven manager always keeping him close to any major Italian bench.

Yet the technical axis led by Maldini has tilted decisively toward Pirlo.

The former Juventus and Sampdoria coach has not had a straightforward path on the touchline, but his profile still resonates deeply within Italian football. World Cup winner, Champions League winner, the face of a generation that defined Italy’s style – Pirlo carries an aura that few can match.

Now the question is no longer whether Maldini wants him. It is whether Malagò, after looking Pirlo in the eye and hearing his plan, is ready to hand him the keys to the Azzurri.