CT Italia: The Azzurri Legend Speaks Out: “I’m Running for the Position”

Giovanni Malagò’s appointment of Leonardo and Paolo Maldini seemed to have restored significant credibility to the FIGC project; the two had gotten off to a great start by initiating negotiations with Pep Guardiola to appoint him as head coach, but after the Catalan turned down the offer, the choice fell on Andrea Pirlo.

It seemed like a done deal, but this possibility has also fallen through following the chaos of the last few hours. The reasons are primarily linked to Pirlo’s role as an ambassador for a Russian betting company, but criticism from the political sphere has also played a decisive role.

Antonio Conte and Roberto Mancini appear to be the leading candidates for the Azzurri head coaching position, but in an op-ed for *La Repubblica*, Gianni Rivera has put himself forward: “Conte wouldn’t be the best choice, and neither would Mancini. I’ve put myself forward for the head coaching job—I’m not joking. I have the experience and knowledge of Italian soccer; I’d be perfectly capable of handling the role. I’ve discussed this with Gravina, but I haven’t yet had the chance to speak with Malagò.”

“We need to be very strict when it comes to relations with Russia,” the Milan legend continued. Pirlo cannot be the right person to lead the national team, and I’m surprised anyone thought he could be; I hope that when Maldini considered him, he wasn’t aware of his ties to the Moscow-based betting company. These days, such a connection would expose the entire Italian soccer community to a reputational risk.”