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Total crisis in the 'Azzurra': Paolo Maldini resigns from the Italian Federation 16 days after taking charge
🇨🇱 Chile /Sports

Total crisis in the 'Azzurra': Paolo Maldini resigns from the Italian Federation 16 days after taking charge

From Cooperativa · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Outcome reported
  • Paolo Maldini resigned as technical director of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) just 16 days after taking the role.
  • His resignation follows Andrea Pirlo's refusal to coach the national team and other rejections.
  • The crisis deepens for Italian football, which has struggled since failing to qualify for recent World Cups.

A profound crisis has engulfed the Italian national football team following Paolo Maldini's abrupt resignation as technical director of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC). Maldini stepped down just 16 days into his tenure, adding chaos to an already turbulent period for Italian football.

The situation escalated after Andrea Pirlo declined the offer to coach the national team, compounding rejections from other prominent figures like Josep Guardiola and Carlo Ancelotti. This leadership vacuum emerged during an emergency meeting convened by FIGC President Giovanni Malagò with Italian football representatives.

The disorganization within the federation was starkly evident when Serie A league president Ezio Simonelli expressed surprise at the resignations of Maldini and Leonardo, stating, "We learned of Maldini and Leonardo's resignations from television." This latest turmoil strikes a blow to a footballing nation still reeling from the disappointment of missing out on the last two World Cups.

We learned of Maldini and Leonardo's resignations from television.

— Ezio SimonelliThe president of the Lega Serie A expressed surprise at the news of the resignations.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Cooperativa in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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