Abete Warns: ‘Nothing Has Changed’ If Italy Coach Chosen Before Technical Director

FolioPitch.com – 27 July 2026 | The Italian football federation (FIGC) is once again in turmoil, with failed presidential candidate Giancarlo Abete delivering a stark warning: Abete Nothing has changed if Italy coach chosen by President before technical director. Speaking after a summit today, Abete criticized what he sees as a return to old habits, just weeks after the creation of a new Club Italia structure aimed at giving greater autonomy to the national team.

The chaos began when Paolo Maldini was appointed technical director of Club Italia on December 1, 2025, with Leonardo as special advisor. The plan was to remove the national team from direct presidential control. However, after Carlo Ancelotti and Pep Guardiola turned down the coaching role, Andrea Pirlo—who had a global brand ambassador role with Russian gambling site Fonbet—was selected. That appointment was blocked, prompting Maldini and Leonardo to resign. Now, FIGC President Giovanni Malagò is reportedly set to name a new coach—with Roberto Mancini as favorite—before choosing a technical director. Abete insists that this order undermines the entire reform. Abete Nothing has changed if Italy coach chosen by President before technical director, he reiterated, calling it antithetical to the project presented in the election.

Abete, who lost the FIGC presidential election to Malagò by a landslide, spoke to reporters after today’s meeting. “The appointment was evidently based on this contact with Guardiola and when he had a good possibility of taking the role, but when that faltered, they turned to Pirlo,” he said. “I don’t think the resignation has been formalised yet, we are reacting to what we saw in the news reports.”

According to Abete, if the President chooses the coach first and then a technical director, it negates the entire purpose of creating the Club Italia role. “We are not accustomed to this. There is always a first time, we are all grown-ups, so we must try to resume the project of trying to identify a technical director of Club Italia,” he added. “If that is Malagò’s project, and he pointed out many times that the sporting aspect went to Paolo Maldini, so logically the first issue must be choosing a technical director. That is something the President will decide. If he chooses the coach first, then that is antithetical to the project he had presented.”

Abete noted that the idea of giving more power to a Club Italia chief was something he himself had proposed, based on the fact that the last three FIGC presidents paid for their role as presidents of Club Italia. “Maybe there was a misunderstanding on the kind of rapport that they were meant to have. Now if we go back to the old way of doing things and the President chooses the coach first, then a technical director, nothing has changed,” he said, again stressing the point: Abete Nothing has changed if Italy coach chosen by President before technical director.

Background of the Crisis

The Italian football world had been hopeful that the appointment of Maldini and Leonardo would bring stability. The pair represented a new direction, with Maldini bringing his legendary status and Leonardo his extensive experience as a player and executive. However, the quick collapse of the plan—barely 16 days after Maldini’s announcement—exposes deep divisions within the FIGC. The failed pursuit of Guardiola and the subsequent Pirlo controversy highlighted a lack of contingency planning.

Malagò, who won the election on a platform of modernizing Italian football, now faces criticism that he is reverting to the old centralised model. Reports suggest that Mancini, who coached Italy to the 2020 European Championship and later managed Saudi Arabia, is the frontrunner for the coaching role. But without a technical director, the coach would report directly to the President, potentially limiting the national team’s independence.

What’s Next?

Abete’s comments come as a warning to Malagò: the federation risks a return to the very problems that led to the creation of the Club Italia structure. The former FIGC chief has called for a return to the original project, urging Malagò to prioritize the appointment of a technical director. However, with the coach likely to be announced soon, the project’s integrity hangs in the balance. As Abete Nothing has changed if Italy coach chosen by President before technical director, the football community watches closely to see if the new leadership will live up to its promises.

In conclusion, the crisis underscores the fragility of Italian football governance. Abete’s warning is clear: without a genuine shift in power, the national team will continue to be a political pawn. The coming days will determine whether the FIGC truly evolves or remains stuck in its old ways.