EXCLUSIVE/ Maldini reveals everything: “Guardiola had already started writing down line-ups, but Malagò broke our agreement”

Paolo Maldini has broken his silence and revealed the behind-the-scenes details of the failed revolution within the Italian national team.

The former FIGC technical director discussed the negotiations with Pep Guardiola, the choice of Andrea Pirlo, the rejection of Roberto Mancini and the breakdown of his agreement with FIGC president Giovanni Malagò.

In an interview with Corriere della Sera, the AC Milan legend explained why he and Leonardo stepped down shortly after agreeing to lead the technical project designed to rebuild Italian football.

“I am not attached to my position”

Maldini said he has always tried to carry out his responsibilities seriously and express his opinions clearly.

“Others must judge me, and you cannot please everyone. What matters to me is doing things properly and speaking clearly. The people who have worked with me know me very well.

“If a man who defends his role and responsibilities is considered uncompromising, then yes, I am uncompromising. I am not attached to my position. I feel completely free in my decisions. If I am given responsibility, I also expect to have the authority to exercise it.”

Malagò’s phone call and the initial agreement

Everything began at Easter, when Giovanni Malagò called Maldini and told him that he could become the new president of the Italian Football Federation.

“Malagò told me that I was the person he wanted by his side. I made myself available, but then I did not hear from him again until the day before the election.

“He asked me to become president of Club Italia. It was not only about reviving the national team; the intention was to rebuild Italian football.”

According to Maldini, the agreement was clear: he and Leonardo would choose the national-team coach, while Malagò would approve their decision.

“My first question was: ‘Who chooses the head coach?’ He replied that we would choose the coach and he would approve our decision. That was the agreement.”

The project: a new, attacking Italy

Maldini and Leonardo wanted a radical change in Italian football’s philosophy.

Their objective was to base youth development more heavily on technical ability, one-on-one play and an attacking mentality, instead of focusing almost entirely on tactical discipline.

They wanted a young coach with a history in the national team who could embrace a long-term project.

Their first phone call was to Carlo Ancelotti.

“We called the greatest Italian coach of all time and my close friend, Carlo Ancelotti. He told us that Brazil had reaffirmed its complete confidence in him and wished us good luck.”

De Rossi and Grosso were ruled out

Andrea Pirlo was not the only candidate under consideration. Daniele De Rossi and Fabio Grosso were also on the list. All three were members of Italy’s 2006 World Cup-winning squad.

However, Malagò reportedly told Maldini and Leonardo that, because of the agreements that had helped him win the FIGC election, they could not approach coaches working for Serie A clubs.

As a result, De Rossi and Grosso were ruled out, leaving Pirlo as the leading candidate.

Why Andrea Pirlo was chosen

Maldini considered Pirlo the ideal candidate for the new project: a young coach with an extraordinary playing career and a modern footballing vision.

“When I speak with Pirlo about technical matters, I find him extremely well prepared. With the support of a technical director and an adviser, he would have been the ideal coach.

“What experience did Lionel Scaloni and Luis de la Fuente have before winning the World Cup and the European Championship?”

Maldini admitted that the directors were initially unaware of Pirlo’s collaboration with a Russian betting company. However, he insisted that there was no legal reason preventing Pirlo from becoming Italy’s head coach.

According to Maldini, Pirlo was prepared to end that partnership immediately.

“Pirlo is a very decent person and did not deserve all that controversy. If there had been a genuine desire to appoint him, there would have been no legal obstacles.”

Guardiola came close to accepting Italy

Maldini’s biggest revelation concerned Pep Guardiola, the coach who best represented the technical and attacking style they wanted to introduce.

Maldini and Leonardo travelled to Barcelona, where they held extensive talks with the Spanish coach.

“We had lunch together and spoke for an entire day. He was extremely tempted and came very close to accepting the offer. He even began writing potential line-ups on pieces of paper.”

Money was reportedly never an issue. According to Maldini, Guardiola was willing to earn one euro less than Italy’s previous coach.

He ultimately rejected the opportunity because of exhaustion after ten demanding years in the Premier League and health problems that had required back surgery.

“We studied all the national-team squads, starting with the Under-17s. Guardiola would have changed the identity of Italian football. It is a great shame.”

The agreement with Malagò breaks down

The turning point came after the controversy surrounding Pirlo. Malagò called Maldini and Leonardo to inform them that the rules had changed.

“He told us: ‘In my opinion, Pirlo can no longer be appointed. From now on, I will choose the coach and you will approve my decision.’”

For Maldini, this position was unacceptable because it overturned the agreement under which he and Leonardo had accepted their roles.

“If I have a role and a responsibility, I intend to exercise them. We took 24 hours to consider the situation and then submitted our resignations before our four-year contracts had even begun.

“The necessary trust was no longer there to carry out such a demanding but exciting job.”

Why Maldini did not choose Mancini

Maldini clarified that his opposition to Roberto Mancini had nothing to do with the coach’s ability or their personal relationship.

“Of course I appreciate Roberto Mancini, but we had a different project. We wanted a new, younger coach and a radical change.”

According to Maldini, Mancini and Antonio Conte are both outstanding coaches, but neither represented the technical project he and Leonardo had designed.

“I do not choose people because they are my friends. I choose the people who, at that particular moment, appear to be the most suitable for the project we want to develop.”

Serie A wanted Conte

Maldini confirmed that Serie A officials preferred Antonio Conte and were prepared to provide the Federation with financial support.

However, he was unhappy that decisions appeared to have been made before he was officially given responsibility.

“If I arrive and two names have already been selected—one by Malagò and another by the league—then what is the point of calling me?

“I was repeatedly guaranteed autonomy. It is normal for everyone to have a preferred candidate, but if you ask for collaboration and propose a shared project, the decisions must also be shared.”

“If you make a choice, you must defend it”

Maldini concluded the interview with a clear message for Giovanni Malagò:

“Our relationship was based on trust. If you make a choice, you must then defend it.”

His account reveals a major clash between two competing visions: Maldini and Leonardo’s project for a younger, more technical and attacking Italy, and Malagò’s decision to take direct control of the appointment of the national-team coach.

A revolution that could have brought Pep Guardiola to the Italy bench ended before it had even begun.