On Tuesday, Italian newspapers, including La Gazzetta dello Sport, Corriere dello Sport, and Tuttosport, unanimously agreed that Massimiliano Allegri and Antonio Conte are the frontrunners to take over as coach of the Italian national team.
Gennaro Gattuso was dismissed from his position as Azzurri coach after failing to qualify Italy for the 2026 World Cup, following a penalty shootout loss to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the European playoff final.
Gabriel Gravina also resigned as president of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), and recent reports indicate that the race for his position is now between Giovanni Malagò and Giancarlo Abete, with elections scheduled for June.
Recent reports suggest that Allegri will become the leading candidate if Malagò is appointed as the new FIGC president, especially considering that 18 Serie A clubs voted in favor of Malagò’s appointment on Monday.
On the other hand, Abete leans towards the option of appointing Conte for a second stint with the Italian national team, especially since the coach has expressed his openness to the idea and it seems likely that he will leave Napoli at the end of the current season.
The decisive factor in determining the identity of Italy’s new coach will not only be the Italian Football Federation presidential elections scheduled for June 22, but also Conte’s future with Napoli and Allegri’s future with Milan.
Initially, Conte is the most likely to leave, and Allegri also wants guarantees from Milan’s management regarding the summer transfer window before continuing, given that both coaches’ contracts with their respective clubs run until the summer of 2027.
