Florenzi on Maldini Could Have Revolutionised Italian Football, Claims Ex-Roma Star

FolioPitch.com – 27 August 2026 | Florenzi on Maldini He could have revolutionised Italian football: the former Roma and Milan full-back has opened up on Paolo Maldini’s brief and ultimately doomed tenure as Italy’s technical director, insisting the Azzurri missed a golden opportunity to transform the national team’s entire footballing culture.

In a candid interview with Italian newspaper Repubblica, Alessandro Florenzi reflected on the period when Maldini was appointed as the FIGC‘s technical director with a sweeping mandate to overhaul the national setup. The appointment was seen as a bold move by the federation, but it unravelled within months. Maldini walked away, citing a lack of trust and support from above. According to Florenzi, that decision was entirely in keeping with the legendary defender’s character.

“Paolo needs to do things his own way,” Florenzi said. “If he takes on a responsibility, he does it 100 per cent. He felt the trust ebbing away, and out of consistency he took a step back. He talked about Cruyff, about how he changed Spanish football. He wanted to do the same in Italy and, for me, he could have managed it.”

Florenzi on Maldini He could have revolutionised Italian football is not just a retrospective tribute; it is also a pointed critique of how the federation handled the project. Maldini had proposed a long-term structural blueprint, akin to what Johan Cruyff did for Barcelona and Spain, focusing on youth development, coaching methodology, and a unified playing philosophy across all age groups. But the old guard within the Italian football establishment was not ready to hand over such power.

When asked whether Maldini and his ally Leonardo had indeed pushed for Andrea Pirlo as national team coach, Florenzi did not confirm the rumour directly, but he defended the logic behind such a choice. “De Rossi and Grosso were the other names in play, with similar CVs to Andrea,” he said. “Any choice would have been criticised. But perhaps they had seen further ahead. If you choose Maldini, you close your eyes and go straight ahead with him.”

The failure to commit fully to Maldini, in Florenzi’s view, was a classic case of half-measures in Italian football governance. He pointed out that revolutionary change requires absolute faith in the man leading it. Instead, Maldini saw the political manoeuvring behind the scenes and decided that his integrity was more important than the job.

Florenzi on Maldini He could have revolutionised Italian football remains a lingering question for those who believe Italian football has fallen behind other European nations in terms of technical development and tactical innovation. Maldini’s vision reportedly included overhauling the youth sector, establishing a national football centre, and implementing coaching standards from grassroots to senior level.

In the end, the federation turned to Claudio Ranieri, a vastly experienced coach and a beloved figure in the game. Florenzi was warm in his praise for Ranieri, describing him as “a person I’m fond of, like Paolo Maldini and Leonardo.” But he also acknowledged that Ranieri’s appointment was a safe, pragmatic choice rather than a radical one. “It’s a valid choice,” Florenzi said. “It makes me smile when people say Malago only selected his friends, he did magnificent things at CONI, he hardly wants what’s bad for Italy.”

The former Italy international also expressed hope that Ranieri would go beyond simply managing the senior team and instead look at the bigger picture. “I hope Ranieri can rebuild the entire youth football pipeline,” Florenzi said. “He has experience, and once he’s understood where to intervene he can revolutionise the situation.”

The story of Maldini’s brief tenure is one of what might have been. Florenzi’s comments revive a debate that many in Italian football prefer to avoid: that the system itself is resistant to change. As the Azzurri continue to struggle for consistency on the international stage, the memory of that missed revolution lingers. Florenzi on Maldini He could have revolutionised Italian football is not just a phrase from an interview; it is a judgement on the timid decision-making that has held Italian football back.

Maldini himself has moved on to a successful role as a technical director at AC Milan, where he has shown exactly what he can do when given full backing. But for Italian football as a whole, the lesson remains. Great ideas need great faith. Without that, even the most brilliant vision will fade away.