Guardiola refuses, will Pirlo lead the Italian national team?

According to reports, Pep Guardiola will decline the invitation to coach Italy, even though the FIGC, with legendary Paolo Maldini as its representative who recently became Technical Director, has made great efforts.

The latest information suggests that the reason for Pep's refusal lies in the compensation package not meeting his expectations of around 20 million euros per year, while the FIGC could only offer 10 million euros per year. However, it is believed that Pep does not want to rush into a decision, preferring to take a break and wait for better opportunities.

Unfulfilled ambition

There was a time when Italians felt truly optimistic about the chance to secure a top-tier coach like Pep Guardiola to "rescue" their football. Italy may no longer maintain its traditional strength, but it remains a major brand in world football with a strong desire to return, and in fact, still possesses a pool of quality and promising young players. Italy's youth teams have continued to achieve high results in international competitions over the years.

The fact that Italian football has missed three consecutive World Cups has clearly lowered their expectations. Instead of demanding to enter major tournaments as championship contenders as before, the immediate goal is simply to rebuild a team with identity, define a playing style, and have a specific development direction. The number one objective is to return to the World Cup, with EURO 2028 seen only as an important test. If he accepted, Pep would not face pressure for immediate success, and would receive full support from the FIGC for a long-term, foundational rebuilding process. The arrival of Maldini as Technical Director and Leonardo as advisor has created a new leadership structure, expected to steer Italian football away from old ways and serve as a bridge to big names like Pep.

The FIGC has been very serious and determined, but their efforts to lure Guardiola ultimately fell short. It's not just about money, which is merely an excuse for Pep to easily say no; Italian football still has dark spots that the Spanish strategist is not ready to face. Despite changing the leadership structure, it remains a football system in crisis. Guardiola may see the potential of young players, but he also sees a system where young talent is often underutilized, clubs lack a unified development philosophy, and the national team constantly has to patch things up after systemic failures.

The fact that the FIGC has just restructured its leadership does not mean it operates better than the old system; this remains to be proven over time. Ironically, Guardiola himself wants to take time to rest after a long winning streak with top clubs; he has more than enough money and glory to rush into a new job, especially when it's not a dream job.

Will it be Pirlo?

If Guardiola doesn't come, the top candidates remain Antonio Conte and Roberto Mancini, alongside the intriguing name Andrea Pirlo. Both Conte and Mancini have experience, having coached Italy and understand the pressure of the Azzurri bench. Conte offers the ability to make an immediate impact, Mancini has the EURO 2020 title and has proven he can build a team with identity, but Andrea Pirlo might be the surprise answer.

If you only look at his coaching resume, Pirlo clearly cannot compete with Conte or Mancini. He has gone through difficult periods at Juventus and then Sampdoria, and has made little mark at small foreign clubs. Entrusting Pirlo with a team that needs to return to the World Cup would certainly be a gamble. But perhaps that is the question: Does Italy truly need the most famous coach, or the one most suitable for a new project?

Looking at the 2026 World Cup final between Spain and Argentina, the answer becomes more thought-provoking. Luis de la Fuente and Lionel Scaloni were not the most famous coaches in the world before taking charge of their national teams. They did not have the impressive club résumés of Guardiola, Ancelotti, or other top managers. But they understood one thing that international football demands: Build the people before building the tactics.

At the national team level, coaches don't have players every day, no time to rehearse hundreds of situations over and over. Therefore, the ability to manage the dressing room, connect individuals, and build trust is sometimes more important than a complex tactical system. That's why the Pirlo story should not be judged simply by his past failures.

Andrea Pirlo was once one of the greatest football minds of his generation. He understands Italian football, the national team, and the psychology of players who wear the Azzurri shirt. But more importantly, Pirlo can represent a new generation of football. Maldini and Leonardo would not choose Pirlo just because he is also a legend; they believe he can become the right coach for a long-term project, where every plan and idea must be unified and maintained at an extreme level to seek progress that may be slow but will be steady.

Pirlo cannot match Pep Guardiola in tactical genius or the art of managing a team full of big egos, but he has advantages over someone like Pep in his deep understanding of Italian football, his closeness to young players, and his ability to inspire and motivate younger generations, including those who have spent almost their entire youth without ever experiencing the feeling of playing on the biggest football stage in the world.

Luis de la Fuente and Scaloni are clear examples that success at the national team level does not necessarily start with a big name. It starts with the right idea, a suitable collective, and a leadership core that is patient enough. Italy must seriously learn from those examples to confidently move toward the future with a surprising piece that works when placed correctly, rather than needing the most powerful piece.

That piece could be Pirlo.