Italy‘s latest failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup has sent shockwaves through the federation, triggering the resignation of the president and now the departure of icon Gianluigi Buffon. With a new rebuilding process underway, Pep Guardiola has emerged as one of the names being considered to lead the Azzurri.
Bosnia & Herzegovina secured their World Cup ticket at Italy’s expense in the UEFA playoffs, and within 48 hours of the elimination, heads had already begun to roll. Gabriele Gravina stepped down as president of the Italian Football Federation, with Buffon, who had served as head of delegation since August 2023, following suit shortly after.
“Submitting my resignation one minute after the end of the match against Bosnia was an urgent act, one that came from deep within me. It was as spontaneous as the tears and that heartache that I know I share with all of you. I was asked to wait to allow everyone time for proper reflection. Now that President Gravina has chosen to take a step back, I feel free to do what I consider an act of responsibility,” Buffon wrote in a statement posted to his social media.
Becoming the first World Cup-winning nation to miss three consecutive tournaments has dealt a severe blow not only to the federation, but to Italian soccer as a whole. Minister of Sport and Youth Andrea Abodi weighed in on the crisis, calling for a change in direction and insisting that a rebuild of the national game “must begin with a renewal of the FIGC leadership.”
Gianluigi Donnarumma of Italy shows his dejection after the game against Bosnia & Herzegovina..
Guardiola drawn into the conversation as potential Azzurri candidate
While a new federation president is set to be elected on June 22, no official word has been issued regarding the future of national team head coach Gennaro Gattuso. According to Fabrizio Romano, however, the former AC Milan midfielder is expected to depart his role, with one high-profile name standing out above the rest as a potential successor.
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As reported by La Gazzetta dello Sport, Pep Guardiola has been put forward as a candidate for the Italy head coaching position. The Spanish manager has yet to make a decision on his future at Manchester City, with the club reportedly giving him the freedom to determine his own path despite his current contract running through June 2027.
The other two prominent names linked to the role are Roberto Mancini and Antonio Conte. Both carry strong Italian credentials and prior experience with the Azzurri, though the federation would face significant challenges in either case, with Mancini currently at Qatari side Al-Sadd and Conte under contract at Napoli, where a compelling project is underway.
According to Romano, Manchester City are prepared to let Guardiola decide his own future, with Enzo Maresca remaining a credible internal option as a potential replacement. Guardiola has previously stated that the Citizens would be his last club job and that he would be open to managing a national team thereafter, and with Brazil now taken by Carlo Ancelotti, Italy could represent the ideal next chapter in his coaching career.
