Giovanni Malagò's Vision for the Italy National Team

Giovanni Malagò has barely had time to sit in the chair and already the future of the Italy national team feels different.

Elected as the new FIGC President with almost 69% of the votes, Malagò walks into office with a mandate that is both powerful and unforgiving: rebuild the Azzurri, restore belief in the shirt, and construct a structure that can actually sustain success rather than stumble from one cycle to the next.

He does not have the luxury of easing in. Two of the most important calls of his presidency will come immediately: the choice of the new head coach and the appointment of a technical director to shape the project above the touchline.

And that is where one name has already ignited debate across Italy.

Maldini back for the Azzurri?

According to Gazzetta and Corriere della Sera, Paolo Maldini has already been contacted over a potential role as Italy’s technical director. No fanfare, no public statements, just the first serious exploratory move towards bringing one of the country’s most revered football figures back into the national-team orbit.

The idea alone carries weight. Maldini is not simply a former defender; he is the former captain, the face of an era, and, more recently, a modern football executive who helped drag AC Milan out of drift and back into relevance. His presence on the touchline in Empoli in October 2022, watching Milan at the Stadio Carlo Castellani, symbolised that second life in the game: no longer in boots, but still very much in command.

Now his name is being tied to a different kind of reconstruction.

Malagò’s mission has been spelled out clearly: rebuild the national team, restore confidence, and lay foundations that last longer than one qualifying campaign. A technical director with Maldini’s authority would send a message, internally and abroad, about how serious Italy are about redefining their identity.

A presidency defined from day one

Malagò is no stranger to major sporting projects. As President of the Organising Committee for the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, he has already been operating at the sharp end of logistics, politics and public expectation. His appearance in Cortina d’Ampezzo in March 2026 at the mural inauguration for the Paralympic Games was another reminder of the scale of responsibilities he juggles.

Now, the FIGC adds another layer. The stakes are emotional, not just institutional. Every decision around the Azzurri is dissected in bars, living rooms and training grounds up and down the country.

The early link with Maldini underlines how quickly this presidency is moving towards big calls. A new coach will set the tone on the pitch. A technical director will set the tone for everything else: scouting, pathways, style, and the long-term vision that Italian football has too often treated as optional.

One thing is already clear: this is not going to be a quiet summer for the FIGC, nor for Paolo Maldini, whose next move could help define what kind of Italy walks out for the next cycle—and how long it stays there.