Rome, July 28, 2026 – “Time was running out and I believed that the right person as head coach had to be Roberto Mancini.” The president of the FIGC Giovanni Malagò thus announced the new head coach of the national team. Claudio Ranieri will instead be the technical director: “I needed someone to share the choice of the head coach – Malagò continued – because where there was none, my reasoning was pointless. We needed someone to become technical director and president of Club Italia. This person with whom these choices were shared is Claudio Ranieri.” Tomorrow at 6 pm Ranieri and Mancini will be presented at a press conference. The FIGC president also said he took on the responsibility for stopping the process to make Pirlo head coach: “A matter of opportunity.”
Ranieri is announced after, yesterday, following the collapse of the candidacy to lead the national team of the former Milan and Juve midfielder, the resignations of Paolo Maldini and Leonardo from their roles in Club Italia arrived, just 16 days after their appointment. To try to avoid the break, Malagò also explored the availability of Thiago Motta as a possible compromise candidate, a hypothesis that did not find the consent of Maldini and Leonardo, leading to the definitive separation. “With Maldini there was a separation without controversy,” Malagò clarified at the conference.
By the weekend, the name of a third figure in the national team management will be announced: “He will be the manager of the national teams, taking the role that years ago belonged to Gigi Riva,” said Malagò. Could it be Zola? “He is one of the possible names,” the FIGC president replied.
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Malagò announced during the conference that the Minister for Sport and Youth Andrea Abodi has been invited to the next Federal Council meeting scheduled for September 17. “We have scheduled the next meetings with Minister Abodi, also regarding the budget law and the 1% bill; moreover, tomorrow I will be in the Senate for a hearing,” said the FIGC president. “Did Abodi speak of a ‘bad impression’ regarding the Pirlo case? Today I consider it a good and positive day, I spoke with Abodi before the Council and a little while ago. Whatever I say is instrumentalized, so I stop here,” added Malagò.
“You ask me if Mancini’s past was taken into account? Certainly. And the apologies made by Roberto were important. They are a premise for tomorrow’s conference. It is evident that all possible evaluations have been made,” said Malagò.
“I expect by the end of the week to give you news about a third figure who will come on board: he will be the manager of the national teams, taking the role that years ago belonged to Gigi Riva,” said Malagò. “I would like to assign him the coordination of the youth national teams currently coordinated by Viscidi, who remains with us. It will complete a path of choices unanimously shared by the federal council.” Could it be Zola? “He is one of the possible names,” Malagò replied. The FIGC president also clarified that he never “considered Chiellini” for the role of technical director. “It is not my style to take people who work in a Serie A club or in a club that wanted to support my candidacy,” he explained.
Mancini and Ranieri will be presented tomorrow at 6 pm. Malagò added: “I found very positive the willingness on the economic aspects of Roberto Mancini and Claudio Ranieri, they were able before the numbers to behave with great sensitivity regarding the numbers and the federal budget.”
“An agreement had been found on Pirlo,” then “the evolution led me to no longer approve this candidacy. It is a matter of opportunity” and “with Maldini there was a separation without controversy,” said FIGC president Giovanni Malagò at the conference. “I take responsibility for having stopped the process of choosing Andrea Pirlo. He would have terminated the contract with this company of which he was a testimonial but for a whole series of reasons and opportunities I did not feel up to it – he added – Neither I nor, it seems, the technical director knew about the Russian contract.” On Maldini and Leonardo: “I spent more time with them than anyone else in the last 15 days, then in life. I am fatalistic… this fact represented an issue. On this, everyone can judge my choice on the opportunity. Paolo and Leo were gentlemen, straightforward, sincere, and honest. And also on my part, allow me, the position was equally straightforward.”
With Mancini as head coach, Claudio Ranieri also arrives in the national team: announced by the federal president, Giovanni Malagò. “I needed someone to share the choice of the head coach, because where there was none, my reasoning was pointless. We needed someone to become technical director and president of Club Italia. This person with whom these choices were shared is Claudio Ranieri, who a few minutes ago guaranteed me his commitment and is coming from Calabria.”
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“Time was running out and I believed that the right person as head coach had to be Roberto Mancini.” Thus Giovanni Malagò officially announces his choice for the Azzurri head coach.
“Mancini head coach? If you ask me if he is a good coach for the national team I believe yes,” said the head of the Italian Football Coaches Association, Renzo Ulivieri, leaving the federal council that just ended. “Mancini is a choice of a quality coach, made by the president and I think in harmony with the technical director,” said the LND president, Giancarlo Abete. “Is Serie A in agreement? You have to ask Simonelli who was remote,” he added, referring to the federal council. “The indication was clear, the choice identified and communicated by Malagò. There were no other options. We are talking about a coach who won the European Championship with the national team,” he continued. Asked about the technical director he concluded: “Ask those who choose him, it was not discussed in the council.”
The FIGC federal council has ended. The press conference of president Giovanni Malagò is expected shortly, who should announce news for the head coach role after the council announcements.
Despite the announcement on the head coach role, the issue of the new technical director would not yet have been addressed, for which rumors this morning give Claudio Ranieri as the favorite. According to what is learned, the former Roma and Juve coach was not appointed during the meeting.
“Roberto Mancini is the national team head coach.” This was just announced – Ansa learns – by Giovanni Malagò at the ongoing federal council. It is expected that he will soon also announce Ranieri as technical director.
“I just wanted to clarify regarding what came out in the media that I am happy with my role at Juventus and I want to support Carnevali in his role.” Giorgio Chiellini, Juve executive and federal councilor representing the League, said this entering FIGC together with Beppe Marotta, Inter president, for the federal council scheduled at 12.
The day comes after yesterday’s earthquake, culminating with the resignations of Paolo Maldini and Leonardo from their respective roles in Club Italia. The break matured after the definitive stop to Andrea Pirlo’s candidacy, who expressed “bitterness” on social media for being involved in a political controversy. At the center of the affair was the sponsorship contract of the former midfielder with the Russian betting company Fonbet, considered incompatible by the political world. According to the reconstruction that emerged in recent hours, the FIGC was already aware of the agreement and the clause that would have allowed Pirlo to terminate it immediately in case of returning to work in Italy. The case also caused a harsh exchange between Malagò and the Minister for Sport Andrea Abodi. “I don’t know if the issue of the Russian sponsor is the cause of the no, but now a bad impression must be remedied,” said the minister. The federal president’s reply was sharp: “It depends on who made it.” In an attempt to avoid the break, Malagò also explored the availability of Thiago Motta as a possible compromise candidate, a hypothesis that did not find the consent of Maldini and Leonardo, leading to the definitive separation. With the exit of the two executives, the federal president returned to focus on the name of Roberto Mancini, already identified in recent months as a possible successor on the Azzurri bench. Also on the table is Antonio Conte, while for the role of technical director the candidacy of Giorgio Chiellini is gaining ground. Besides the national team issue, the Federal Council will also address the ratification of the Serie C 2026-2027 rosters, some internal appointments, and the approval of regulatory changes.
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