Italy's coaching crisis deepens as Guardiola and Ancelotti are approached

The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) has opened talks with Pep Guardiola and Brazil manager Carlo Ancelotti about the Italy head‑coach vacancy, as the Azzurri recover from a third straight World Cup qualification failure. The approach was confirmed on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, after a Premier League match between AFC Bournemouth and Manchester City in Bournemouth, England, photographed by Ian Walton/AP.

MILAN — Former Italy and AC Milan defender Paolo Maldini, appointed technical director at the start of the month, attended a meeting with Serie A clubs on Thursday alongside new FIGC president Giovanni Malagò and special advisor Leonardo.

“Honestly, today we can’t give news about what’s happening. You’ve identified one of our targets,” Maldini said when asked about Guardiola in a news conference after the meeting.

“We can’t hide that we also talked with Carlo Ancelotti before talking with Pep. Honestly, it seemed right to start with the best in the world, to see their general availability,” he added.

Guardiola left Manchester City at the end of last season, concluding a ten‑year spell that made City a European force. The 55‑year‑old has amassed 35 major titles, including triumphs with Barcelona and Bayern Munich.

Maldini and Leonardo spent three days in Barcelona recently to speak with Guardiola about the Italy job.

“The best thing would be to announce the new coach this week, but even more to wait for the person we really want,” Maldini said. “So there’s urgency, but not so much inside us.”

Ancelotti signed a contract extension with Brazil in May that runs to the 2030 World Cup, but Brazil suffered a 2‑1 round‑of‑16 loss to Norway, one of its worst performances on the sport’s biggest stage. The 67‑year‑old has won league titles in Italy, England, France, Spain and Germany and is the only coach with five Champions League trophies.

Four‑time champion Italy missed a third straight World Cup after a playoff loss to Bosnia and Herzegovina in March, prompting the resignations of FIGC president Gabriele Gravina and coach Gennaro Gattuso. Gattuso had taken over from Luciano Spalletti only the previous June after a defeat at Norway in the opening qualifier.

Former Italy coaches Roberto Mancini, Antonio Conte and Andrea Pirlo are also listed among the favourites to take charge of the national side.