Italy appoints football icon Maldini as national team's technical director

Italian football icon Paolo Maldini has been appointed the new technical director of the national football federation (FIGC), a move aimed at revitalizing the sport following the national team's failure to qualify for three consecutive World Cups. The appointment signals a significant shift in the federation's strategy as it seeks to rebuild its global standing.

FIGC President Giovanni Malago expressed his long-held desire to bring Maldini into the fold, stating, "Maldini has always been my target." Malago believes Maldini is the ideal candidate to lead the FIGC's technical sector, which encompasses both the senior national team and the entire youth development setup. This initiative is part of a four-year plan leading up to the 2030 World Cup, with the European Championship also on the horizon.

“

Maldini has always been my target. I felt he was the right person to oversee the FIGC’s technical sector, a role that encompasses not just the senior national team, but the entire youth national team setup.

The 58-year-old Maldini, a legendary figure in Italian football, will collaborate with Leonardo, a former sporting director at Paris Saint-Germain and AC Milan, who will serve as his advisor. Furthermore, Maldini will assume the presidency of Club Italia, the body responsible for overseeing all national teams across all age groups and genders. This unprecedented dual role grants Maldini ultimate authority over all sporting decisions within the federation.

Maldini's primary challenge will be to restore the Azzurri's status among the global elite. Despite their triumph in the 2021 European Championship, missing out on the last three World Cup tournaments has been a significant blow. Maldini and Malago, who also headed the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics organizing committee, face the immediate task of appointing a new head coach. Gennaro Gattuso resigned from the position after Italy's penalty shootout loss to Bosnia-Herzegovina in a World Cup play-off in March. Antonio Conte, who previously managed the national team from 2014 to 2016, has been mentioned as a potential successor.

“

We are embarking on a four-year commitment designed to take us from now through the next World Cup in 2030, with the European Championship along the way.