EMPOLI, ITALY – OCTOBER 1: Paolo Maldini of AC Milan watches the Serie A match between Empoli FC and AC Milan at Stadio Carlo Castellani on October 1, 2022 in Empoli, Italy. (Photo by Gabriele Martinti/Getty Images)
Paolo Maldini has been officially appointed as the new technical director of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), with former Milan teammate Leonardo joining as an advisor, the federation has announced.
Official: Maldini appointed as new FIGC technical director
The revolution of the Italian national team is steadily progressing: former FIGC president Gabriele Gravina resigns So did coach Gennaro Gattuso and national team chief Gianluigi Buffon after Italy failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup at the end of March.
Giovanni Malago was elected as FIGC’s new president in June, replacing Gravina, and has since worked hard to appoint a new technical director, who will play a key role in the impending appointment of a new head coach.
Legendary former Milan and Italy defender Maldini has been chosen as FIGC’s new technical director, with recent reports saying he will have “unprecedented” powers as he looks to rebuild a national team that has won four World Cups but missed out on the last three.
Together with his advisor Leonardo, he signed a four-year contract with the Italian national team until the end of the 2030 World Cup.
“With great pleasure, FIGC President Giovanni Malago announces that Paolo Maldini has accepted the position of technical director of the federation,” a statement on the FIGC website reads.
“Giovanni Malago will also entrust the role of president of Club Italia to Paolo Maldini.”
Malago himself commented: “Maldini has always been a target of mine. I thought he was the right person to oversee the FIGC technical department, which involves not only the senior national team, but also the entire youth national team supply chain.”
“Over the past two weeks, we discussed all the projects in great detail and Paolo immediately told us that he wanted Leonardo to join us as a consultant due to the demanding, challenging and time-consuming nature of the role.
“I’m very happy because I have a deep respect for Leonardo. They are two sides of the same coin. This is a four-year undertaking from now through the European Championships to the next World Cup in 2030.”
Next up after Maldini, Leonardo and Malago is the appointment of a new head coach for the Italian national team. According to the latest reports, the current frontrunner is Roberto Mancini, not challenger Antonio Conte.
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