CT Italia: It’s still a two-way race, but surprises cannot be ruled out for the technical director position

Having taken office less than a month ago at Via Allegri, the new president of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), Giovanni Malagò, is grappling with the thorny issue of the hoped-for revival of a national team that is watching the World Cup from the sidelines for the third consecutive time. The FIGC’s top official is working intensively to define the new organizational structure, from the head coach to the technical director.

As for the head coach, speculation remains high that Roberto Mancini could return three years after his abrupt departure from the Azzurri, following irreconcilable differences with then-president Gabriele Gravina. In the background, Antonio Conte is also awaiting news; after his tenure ended following Euro 2016, he has repeatedly made it clear that he would not turn down a new call from the Italian Football Federation.

Then there is the issue of the technical director: the back-and-forth with Paolo Maldini over the past few days seems to be heading toward a negative conclusion, and alternative names are being considered—all of whom were pillars of the national team in different eras. A key name in this regard is Demetrio Albertini, who is already involved in the FIGC’s technical department, but another former Milan player, Alessandro Costacurta—who previously served as the federation’s deputy special commissioner—cannot be ruled out. Among the other potential candidates, surprises cannot be ruled out, such as Beppe Bergomi or Gianfranco Zola.

Malagò is expected to resolve any doubts within a few days: the national team is set to face challenges in the Nations League, where it will take on two teams among the top eight from the 2026 World Cup—France and Belgium—as well as one of European soccer’s wild cards, Turkey. The group stage will take place between September and November, with the first match scheduled against Belgium on September 25 at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.