Pep Guardiola has had meetings with Italy’s football federation about the position of national team manager, reports Sky Sports Italia.
Technical director Paolo Maldini travelled to Barcelona to persuade the former Manchester City boss to lead Italy towards the Euro 2028.
Guardiola has not yet signalled whether he is interested in the role. According to reports, Maldini and his adviser Leonardo Araujo have presented their plans to Guardiola over three days of talks.
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Four-time world champions Italy – who last participated in a championship in 2021 when they beat England in the European Championship final – have been absent from the last three World Cup finals.
Maldini, who himself played 126 caps for Italy, has been tasked with resurrecting Italian football.
Italy last failed to qualify for the World Cup under the leadership of Gennaro Gattuso, who was sacked after losing the play-off match to Bosnia and Herzegovina in March.
Guardiola is not alone in being considered for the position. Roberto Mancini, who led Italy to European Championship gold in 2021, and Andrea Pirlo are both under consideration.
Guardiola is without a club for the first time in ten years after leaving Manchester City. He won 20 trophies during his time in the northwest of England, with a win percentage of 70.8.
The 55-year-old had a verbal agreement with England in 2024 to succeed Gareth Southgate, but changed his mind at the last minute – paving the way for Thomas Tuchel’s appointment.
Tuchel is under contract until Euro 2028 and has committed to continuing as England manager after they won bronze in the World Cup – England’s best performance since 1966.
Guardiola has previously stated that he is open to the unknown challenge of managing a national team, although he promised to take a break after leaving Manchester City.
In an interview with chef Dani Garcia in 2024, he said:
“What I’m not going to do is leave Manchester City and go to another country to do exactly the same thing I’m doing now.
“I wouldn’t have had the energy for it. I’m still here doing what I’m doing today. But the thought of starting somewhere else, with all the training process and all that… No, no, no! Maybe a national team, but that’s something else.
There is a clear trend that top club coaches are now moving into national team manager roles. Tuchel, Mauricio Pochettino, Julian Nagelsmann and Carlo Ancelotti all led their nations in the 2026 World Cup.
Former Liverpool manager, Guardiola’s rival and friend, Jürgen Klopp, is expected to be appointed as Germany’s new national team manager in the next few weeks, after Nagelsmann was sacked after a disappointing World Cup performance.
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