Paolo Maldini and Leonardo resigned from their respective roles as Technical Director and Advisor for the Italian national team on July 27, 2026. Their departure concludes a tenure that lasted only 16 days, having officially begun on July 11, 2026.
The resignations follow a series of unsuccessful attempts to secure a new head coach. A mission to recruit Pep Guardiola for the position failed, and subsequent negotiations with Andrea Pirlo collapsed due to concerns regarding his ties to Russia, referred to as the "Fonbet case."
Internal friction contributed to the instability, as disagreements emerged between the departing duo and Federal President Giovanni Malago. While Maldini and Leonardo advocated for the appointment of either Andrea Pirlo or Thiago Motta, Malago favored the selection of Roberto Mancini.
The Italian Federal Council is scheduled to meet on July 28, 2026, to address the management vacancy and the current state of the national team project.