Pep Guardiola Declines Italy National Team Coaching Role

Guardiola's Decision on Italy's National Team

Rome [Italy], July 24: Renowned football manager Pep Guardiola has opted not to accept the position of head coach for the Italy men's national team, as reported by a leading sports outlet.

After a remarkable decade with Manchester City, where he led the team to a treble victory in the 2022/23 season, Guardiola has decided to turn down the Italian Football Federation's (FIGC) offer, citing personal reasons unrelated to football.

The FIGC had engaged in discussions with Guardiola, hoping to persuade him to replace Gennaro Gattuso, following Italy's disappointing failures to qualify for the FIFA World Cup in 2018, 2022, and this year, where they lost to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Italian technical director Paolo Maldini, along with advisor Leonardo, met with Guardiola over three days to share their vision for the national team leading up to the 2030 FIFA World Cup.

During these talks, they proposed a role for Guardiola that extended beyond mere coaching, envisioning him as a pivotal figure in the 'Azzurro Project,' aimed at revitalizing Italian football after the team's failure to qualify for the expanded 48-team World Cup this summer.

The 'Azzurro Project' would entail a comprehensive restructuring of the national team across all levels, not limited to just the men's squad. Other potential candidates for the coaching position include Roberto Mancini and Andrea Pirlo, with Mancini having previously led Italy to victory in the 2021 European Championships.

Guardiola's tenure at Manchester City saw him secure 20 trophies, boasting an impressive win rate of 70.8 percent. Maldini and Leonardo were appointed by the FIGC as part of a personnel overhaul following the team's failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.