Italy in talks with Andrea Pirlo after Guardiola refusal

Italy’s search for a new national team head coach has turned toward Andrea Pirlo after Pep Guardiola rejected the chance to take charge. According to reports in Italy, talks with Pirlo are ongoing and the former midfielder is said to be keen on a project viewed by federation officials as a major reset for the national side.

Italy turn to Pirlo as Plan B

The Italian federation is still without a permanent coach and had initially identified Guardiola as its preferred option. That move did not materialise, but the setback has not ended the process. Instead, Pirlo has emerged as the leading alternative, with discussions described as active and a deal potentially moving quickly.

The reported plan would see Pirlo handed a long-term role, with an agreement expected to run through to the 2030 World Cup. Paolo Maldini, identified in the source as technical director, is said to favour a broader, longer-term collaboration as part of the same vision.

Italian reports also suggest Pirlo’s starting salary would be 1.5 million euros, a figure presented as relatively modest for a job of this profile.

A rebuild after a damaging period

The backdrop to the search is a deeply disappointing spell for Italy. Andrea Pirlo himself described the recent situation around the national team as a “complete catastrophe” after the Azzurri failed to qualify for the World Cup for a third consecutive time. He also said the country had to accept where it stands, focus on qualifying for Euro 2028 and then look ahead, hopefully, to the next World Cup cycle after that.

Those comments have only added to the sense that Pirlo understands the scale of the task. For federation officials, that appears to be part of the appeal. He is reportedly seen as a figure capable of helping revive Italian football, not only because of his stature as a player but also because he fits a preferred coaching profile.

Why Pirlo appeals to the federation

The thinking inside the federation, according to the source material, is to move away from more demanding, established personalities and instead appoint a less experienced coach who is more aligned with a modern style of play and more open to guidance.

That makes Pirlo an attractive candidate in strategic terms. He is one of the defining figures of Italy’s modern football history: a 116-cap international and a World Cup winner from 2006. His standing in the game is beyond dispute, built largely on a glittering playing career rather than his work on the touchline.

• 116 appearances for Italy
• World Cup winner in 2006
• Currently linked with United FC in the United Arab Emirates
• Previously coached Juventus, Karagumruk and Sampdoria

The doubts around his candidacy

For all the enthusiasm around the talks, the reports also highlight clear reservations. Pirlo’s coaching career has not yet matched the heights of his playing days, and there are concerns in some quarters about whether he has the leadership presence required to manage an international dressing room.

That tension is central to the debate. On one side is a national icon, a former AC Milan and Juventus star who won two Champions League titles with Milan and four Serie A titles with Juventus. On the other is a coach still trying to establish himself at the highest level.

Whether Italy decide that Pirlo is the right figure to lead a difficult rebuild should become clear soon. For now, after Guardiola’s refusal, the federation appears to believe one of the country’s greatest players could be the man to guide its next chapter.