According to an exclusive report by the Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport, AC Milan and Azzurri legend Paolo Maldini has officially accepted a groundbreaking proposal from the newly elected federation president, Giovanni Malagò. Following extensive negotiations, Maldini has signed a lucrative four-year contract under financial terms highly favorable to the Italian Football Federation (FIGC).
Under this new structural hierarchy, Maldini will assume the newly created role of Technical Director for the Italian National Team. This unprecedented position grants him sweeping executive powers that extend far beyond simply appointing the next head coach. Maldini will officially oversee the entire tactical pathway, development programs, and organizational infrastructure across all Italian national team echelons.
In a major tactical twist, former Brazilian international and Milan icon Leonardo will be joining the project alongside Maldini, serving in an official capacity as a senior technical advisor.
The immediate, high-priority objective for the newly formed Maldini-Leonardo sporting duo is to identify and secure the next elite manager to lead the Azzurri into the upcoming international cycle. While president Malagò’s preferred managerial candidates—most notably Antonio Conte and Roberto Mancini—have been heavily linked to the vacancy for weeks, it now remains to be seen whether these high-profile tactical targets will receive the final sporting approval from Italy’s new technical leadership.
