Guardiola turns down Italy job as FIGC pivot towards Pirlo plan

Pep Guardiola has rejected a formal offer to become Italy head coach, dealing a major blow to the Italian Football Federation’s long-term project and pushing Andrea Pirlo to the front of the queue as the preferred alternative.

The Spanish manager has made clear he does not want to take on any coaching role at present, despite being “proud” to have been approached to lead the Azzurri. According to Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport, Guardiola informed Paolo Maldini, the newly appointed technical director of the Italian federation, and his adviser Leonardo that he was declining the proposal.

In a message quoted by the report, Guardiola told them: “Thank you, I am proud of this offer, but I do not feel able to take on this experience at the moment.”

Long consideration before final refusal

La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that Guardiola did not dismiss the opportunity lightly. He is said to have reflected at length on the prospect of managing Italy before ultimately deciding that both personal and professional considerations meant he could not commit.

Guardiola has already chosen to end his spell at Manchester City after 10 years in charge of the Premier League club, a decision he had taken some time ago. The report states he was only prepared to reconsider that stance for what he regarded as an exceptional proposal – a category into which the Italy job fell, particularly as the offer came from figures he greatly respects, such as Maldini and Leonardo.

However, his desire for an extended break from the dugout is described as the decisive factor. After many years of continuous work and constant travel across Europe and beyond, the 53-year-old wants to devote more time to himself and his family.

Demand for total commitment

Guardiola’s professional outlook also played a key role in his refusal. The Catalan is renowned for his intense, hands-on approach to coaching and is understood to believe that leading a national team requires absolute, day-to-day involvement rather than semi-remote management or heavy reliance on a large backroom team.

During discussions, he is reported to have underlined that stance with a clear message: “If I do it, I will do it 100%.” The remark was interpreted as a sign that he was unwilling to undertake any role without being able to dedicate his full energy and focus to it – something he feels is not possible at present, especially given that managing a national side of Italy’s stature would be a completely new experience for him.

The report adds that Guardiola was also keen to show respect to Italy, a country he holds in high regard, and to Maldini personally. The pair enjoy a strong relationship, strengthened by Guardiola’s first UEFA Champions League triumph as a coach, a title he is said to have “gifted” to Maldini in recognition of the former defender’s influence and status in the game.

Long-term proposal rejected

Maldini is understood to have presented Guardiola with a long-term vision lasting between eight and ten years, positioning him at the centre of a comprehensive rebuilding of the national side. Yet the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich coach does not currently feel ready to tie himself to such a demanding, long-range commitment, particularly at a time when he is seeking distance from the pressures of elite football.

With the door now firmly closed on Guardiola, the Italian federation has moved on to its contingency plan, which focuses on Pirlo as the leading candidate.

Pirlo emerges as leading candidate

Maldini and Leonardo regard Pirlo as the right profile to lead a new era for the Azzurri, the report says. They believe the former Italy midfielder can help break with elements of the recent past and introduce a different vision for Italian football over the coming years.

Time, however, is not on the FIGC’s side. The next edition of the UEFA Nations League is around eight weeks away, and planning is already under way for UEFA Euro 2028. Even so, officials are said to be determined to prioritise the long-term strategy and avoid yet another abrupt change of direction on the bench.

The overarching objective is to build a team capable of competing strongly at the 2030 FIFA World Cup, following a turbulent period in which Italy failed to qualify for both the 2018 and 2022 tournaments.

Ancelotti also said no

Maldini revealed on Thursday that Guardiola was not the only elite coach approached. He confirmed in media comments that he had also opened talks with Carlo Ancelotti, currently in charge of Brazil.

Ancelotti, however, also declined the opportunity, choosing instead to continue his work with the Selecao.