Paolo Maldini and Leonardo have resigned from the Italy football federation following the collapse of a plan to bring in Andrea Pirlo as coach. The resignations represent a significant leadership shift in Italian football.
On 2026-07-27, Andrea Pirlo was forced out of his position with the Italian national football team following backlash over his links to a Russian betting firm. His departure compounds ongoing turmoil at the Italian Football Federation, which is reeling from Italy's third consecutive failure to qualify for the World Cup.
Andrea Pirlo was eliminated from consideration for the Italian national football team's head coaching position after scrutiny emerged on July 27, 2026, concerning his connections to a Russian betting company. The controversy raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest.
The Italian Football Federation appointed Andrea Pirlo as national team head coach on a four-year contract after multiple high-profile candidates declined, including Pep Guardiola and Thiago Motta. Former coach Roberto Mancini expressed frustration over the appointment.