One of the most decorated club football managers of the modern era, Pep Guardiola, has formally declined an offer to take the helm of the Italian men’s national football team, ending weeks of speculation surrounding his next career move following his departure from Manchester City this summer.
Guardiola wrapped up a historic 10-year tenure with Manchester City in May, leaving the club after securing an unparalleled 17 major trophies during his time in charge. Since exiting the Premier League side, the Spanish coach has been open about his plan to step away from top-flight football to take an extended break, prioritizing rest, quality time with family, and travel.
The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) nonetheless launched an aggressive pursuit to convince Guardiola to change his plans. Earlier this week, FIGC president Giovanni Malago confirmed that official talks had taken place with the recently departed City boss, revealing that the governing body was prepared to make extraordinary exceptions to its salary structure to accommodate his demands. According to people familiar with the negotiations, FIGC representatives also offered Guardiola full autonomy to structure the head coach role to his own specifications, a major concession designed to lure one of the game’s most successful tacticians.
The pursuit of Guardiola came after the FIGC’s first target, legendary Italian former midfielder Carlo Ancelotti, turned down the opportunity. FIGC technical director Paolo Maldini confirmed Thursday that the federation first approached Ancelotti, who currently serves as head coach of the Brazil men’s national team. Ancelotti ultimately chose to remain in his current post with the Brazilian FA, opening the door for the FIGC to turn to Guardiola.
Despite the generous terms and the high-profile vacancy, Guardiola opted to stick to his original plan for a career break, formally informing the FIGC of his decision to decline the offer this week. The Italian national team has faced significant struggles in recent major tournaments, having failed to qualify for three consecutive FIFA World Cups, leaving the federation eager to hire a top-tier manager to turn the program’s fortunes around.
With Guardiola out of the running, former Italy international playmaker Andrea Pirlo has now emerged as the clear frontrunner for the role. Pirlo currently serves as head coach of Dubai-based United FC, and if appointed, he would immediately face a stiff test: guiding Italy through a tough Nations League group this autumn, where the side is matched against powerhouse opponents France, Belgium, and Turkey, before leading the team’s qualifying campaign for UEFA Euro 2028.