Surprise with 2 new choices from the Italian Football Federation to replace Maldini and Pirlo

Per various reports from Italy, FIGC President Giovanni Malagò is weighing the appointment of Claudio Ranieri as Technical Director, with Roberto Mancini emerging as the frontrunner for the Italy head coach role.

These speculations emerged shortly after Paolo Maldini and Leonardo resigned from FIGC. They had only held their technical leadership roles for a short time but decided to step down after the plan to appoint Andrea Pirlo as head coach failed to gain internal consensus within the federation. According to Reuters and Sky Sport Italia, disagreements over the team's development direction caused the project initiated by Maldini to quickly collapse.

In that context, many Italian newspapers report that Malagò is developing a new plan. Accordingly, Claudio Ranieri would take on the role of Technical Director, responsible for the team's development strategy and technical system, while Roberto Mancini would return to the Azzurri coaching bench. However, as of now, FIGC has not made any official announcement.

Ranieri is regarded as a suitable figure to stabilize the organization after several upheavals. The 74-year-old tactician has over three decades of coaching experience in Italy, England, Spain, and France, and famously led Leicester City to the Premier League title in the 2015-2016 season. His ability to manage the dressing room and his experience working in diverse environments are seen as factors that have earned him the trust of FIGC leadership.

Meanwhile, Roberto Mancini has emerged as the most experienced choice for the head coach position. The 61-year-old manager led Italy to victory at EURO 2020 and built a 37-match unbeaten streak, the longest in the team's history. Although he left the Azzurri in 2023 to take charge of Saudi Arabia, Mancini is still considered someone who understands the Italian football system and has the capability to lead the team's rebuilding process.

If the Ranieri-Mancini plan becomes a reality, it would mark a new turning point in efforts to help the Italian national team overcome a prolonged period of instability. However, for now, these are just rumors from the Italian media, and the final decision still rests with FIGC in the coming days.