Chaos in Italian football: Maldini quits 16 days after appointment
Paolo Maldini and his consultant Leonardo have resigned from their positions at the Italian Football Federation just 16 days after being appointed, due to disagreements over Andrea Pirlo's candidacy as head coach, which was blocked by the federation president because of Pirlo's ties to a Russian gambling company.
The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) faced serious challenges in selecting a new head coach for the national team. Initially, the federation targeted Pep Guardiola, but he decided to take a break from football. Carlo Ancelotti, the next candidate, chose to remain with the Brazilian national team.
As a next option, Andrea Pirlo was considered, but he had an existing contract with the Russian gambling company "Fonbet". FIGC president Giovanni Malago opposed Pirlo's appointment due to his affiliation with the gambling industry.
As a result of this disagreement, legendary defender Paolo Maldini resigned from his post as technical director of the national team. He had held the position for only 16 days. Along with him, his advisor Leonardo also stepped down.
Maldini and Leonardo were tasked with initiating a rebuild of Italian football after the Azzurri failed to qualify for the third consecutive World Cup. The previous head coach, Gennaro Gattuso, resigned following the unsuccessful qualification campaign.
