Rome
Italian football great Paolo Maldini has been appointed technical director of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), taking charge of a wide-ranging rebuilding project after Italy failed to qualify for a third consecutive FIFA World Cup.
The appointment was announced by newly elected FIGC president Giovanni Malagò, who described Maldini as his first choice to oversee the federation’s technical development over the next four years.
“Maldini has always been my target,” Malagò said. “He is the right person to oversee the FIGC’s technical sector, which includes not only the senior national team but the entire youth national team structure.”
The 58-year-old former AC Milan captain will also serve as president of Club Italia, the body responsible for all Italian national teams across every age group in both men’s and women’s football.
The dual appointment gives Maldini overall responsibility for sporting decisions within the federation, making it an unprecedented role in Italian football.
Former AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain sporting director Leonardo will work alongside Maldini as his adviser.
Maldini’s immediate priority will be restoring the fortunes of the Azzurri, who have endured one of the darkest periods in their history despite winning the UEFA European Championship in 2021. Italy has now failed to qualify for the last three FIFA World Cups, raising serious concerns about the country’s football development system.
Another pressing task will be appointing a new head coach following Gennaro Gattuso’s resignation after Italy’s defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina on penalties in the European play-offs for the 2026 World Cup.
Former Italy coach Antonio Conte, who recently left Napoli after two seasons, has emerged as one of the leading candidates for the position.
Maldini enjoyed one of the most decorated playing careers in football history, spending his entire professional career with AC Milan. He won seven Serie A titles and five UEFA Champions League trophies during a remarkable 25-year career.
For Italy, he earned 126 international caps and represented his country in four World Cups and three European Championships. His best achievements with the national team were runners-up finishes at the 1994 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2000.
After retiring, Maldini returned to AC Milan as sporting director in 2019 and held the role until 2023, helping guide the club back to domestic success before his departure.
