The search for Italy’s next head coach has entered its decisive phase, and the name now dominating the shortlist is Andrea Pirlo. After days of speculation that had circled Antonio Conte, Roberto Mancini, and even Pep Guardiola, Italian media report that the 47-year-old former World Cup winner has emerged as the preferred candidate of Paolo Maldini and Leonardo, the two former Milan teammates newly installed to lead the FIGC’s technical reconstruction. The federation’s president, Giovanni Malagò, confirmed on Tuesday that a shortlist is being finalised and that he will meet Maldini and Leonardo in Milan, with an announcement possible as early as next week.

Pirlo’s candidacy is being framed in Italy as a bet on identity and vision over proven international pedigree. His coaching CV is thin: a Coppa Italia and Supercoppa with Juventus in 2020–21, a stint in Turkey, a Serie B campaign with Sampdoria that ended in dismissal, and currently a promotion-winning season with United FC in Dubai. Yet Maldini and Leonardo, who tried to hire him for Milan in 2023, are said to value his deep knowledge of the Azzurri environment, his status as a 2006 world champion, and a tactical courage they believe can reset a national team that has missed three consecutive World Cups. The Italian press notes that Pirlo would represent the solution most closely aligned with the new federal structure, though his appointment would carry a margin of risk given his limited experience compared to the other names on the list.

The coaching carousel has already spun elsewhere. Massimiliano Allegri, dismissed by Milan after a fifth-place finish, was unveiled as Napoli’s new head coach at the Teatro San Carlo. He inherits a squad that won the Scudetto and Supercoppa under Conte, and he described himself as “fortunate” to take over a team accustomed to working. Allegri expressed regret over how his Milan adventure ended but stressed he is not in Naples for revenge. His arrival, and the broader reshuffle, is being watched from the Gulf, where Pirlo’s current club, United FC, is preparing for its first season in the UAE Pro League and has been active in the transfer market, signing Moroccan midfielder Anis Karimi and former Al Ain captain Bandar Al Ahbabi.

Guardiola remains the dream candidate, but Italian reports describe the financial and logistical obstacles as formidable. Conte and Mancini are still in the running, though Conte’s ideas on squad management may not align with Maldini and Leonardo’s vision, and Mancini’s previous tenure—crowned by the Euro 2020 title but scarred by the 2022 World Cup qualifying failure—divides opinion. Dino Zoff, the 1982 World Cup-winning captain and former Italy coach, has publicly backed Maldini’s appointment, calling it a choice of “character, charisma, and competence,” and stressed that the new technical director must be given full autonomy.

The next concrete step is the meeting between Malagò, Maldini, and Leonardo, after which a name will be presented to the Federal Council. The new coach will take charge for the Nations League campaign starting in September against Belgium, Turkey, and France, with the immediate goal of halting Italy’s slide down the FIFA rankings and rebuilding a path toward the 2030 World Cup.