Mansion Sports – Italian football legend Paolo Maldini has confirmed that the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) has approached both Pep Guardiola and Carlo Ancelotti to lead the new era of the Italy national team.

The Italy national team is currently searching for a new direction after suffering a major setback by failing to qualify for the FIFA World Cup for the third consecutive time.

Paolo Maldini Targets the World's Best Coaches

In a bold move to revive Italian football during a period of crisis, Maldini revealed that Italy is targeting the best coaches in the world.

The AC Milan icon, who was recently appointed as FIGC's technical director, confirmed that discussions have taken place with former Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola as well as current Brazil national team head coach Carlo Ancelotti.

In comments quoted by The Guardian, Maldini spoke at a press conference following a high-level meeting with Serie A clubs and openly explained the federation's ambitious plans.

"To be honest, today we cannot provide any updates on what is happening. You have identified one of our targets."

When asked about Guardiola, Maldini added:

"We cannot hide the fact that we also spoke with Carlo Ancelotti before speaking with Pep. Honestly, we believed it was right to begin with the best coaches in the world to understand how willing they are."

Italy Pursues Legendary Coaches

The attempt to appoint Guardiola comes as the 55-year-old manager is currently without a club after ending his highly successful decade-long tenure with Manchester City.

His achievements require no introduction after helping reshape modern football during his time with Barcelona and Bayern Munich.

Meanwhile, Ancelotti remains one of the most successful managers in football history, having won five UEFA Champions League titles as well as domestic league championships in Europe's five major leagues.

Maldini, together with FIGC President Giovanni Malago and advisor Leonardo, reportedly spent several days in Barcelona assessing Guardiola's interest in the Italy national team project.

Although the head coach position is vacant and needs to be filled as soon as possible, Maldini emphasized that the FIGC will not appoint an alternative candidate simply to accelerate the process.

"The best outcome would certainly be to announce the new head coach this week, but what is more important is waiting for the person we truly want."

Carlo Ancelotti's Situation with Brazil

Although Ancelotti is considered a dream candidate, his situation with the Brazil national team represents a significant obstacle for the FIGC.

The veteran coach signed a contract extension in May that will keep him in charge until 2030.

However, his position has come under scrutiny following Brazil's disappointing FIFA World Cup campaign.

Italy's need for a coach capable of restoring stability became even more evident after its defeat in the playoff match against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

That defeat triggered the resignations of FIGC President Gabriele Gravina and head coach Gennaro Gattuso.

Gattuso himself had been in the role only briefly after replacing Luciano Spalletti during a difficult qualification campaign.

Italy Still Has Several Alternatives

If attempts to appoint either Guardiola or Ancelotti prove unsuccessful, the FIGC still has several alternatives on its shortlist.

Roberto Mancini, who led Italy to victory at UEFA Euro 2020 in 2021, is one of the leading candidates alongside Antonio Conte if the federation decides to appoint a former national team coach once again.

Andrea Pirlo's name has also entered the discussion.

The former midfielder, who played a key role in Italy's triumph at the 2006 FIFA World Cup, could provide a fresh direction for the federation, although his coaching experience is still not as extensive as that of the other, more experienced candidates.