Pep Guardiola in Talks to Take Over Italy After World Cup Miss

It’s still early days, but the name that’s been floating around the Italian football scene is Pep Guardiola. The former Manchester City mastermind, who walked away from the Etihad after a decade of trophies, apparently sat down – or at least exchanged messages – with the Italian Football Federation.

The disclosure came from Giovanni Malago, the man who took over as FIGC president in June 2026 after a long stint leading the national Olympic committee. In an interview with Cronache di Spogliatoio, Malago said he’d spoken with Guardiola about the role, but he was quick to stress that “it’s not certain that this will actually come to fruition.”

Guardiola’s résumé reads like a modern‑day fairy‑tale: six Premier League crowns, three FA Cups, five Carabao Cups and a Champions League triumph with City, plus league titles in Spain and Germany. Yet despite the glittering club record, the 53‑year‑old has never managed a national side in his 18‑year senior coaching career.

Italy’s own fortunes have taken a hit. The Azzurri failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, bowing out to Bosnia‑Herzegovina on penalties in the European play‑offs. That disappointment saw Gennaro Gattuso step down as head coach, and even long‑time FIGC stalwarts like president Gabriele Gravina and delegation chief Gianluigi Buffon walk away.

With the national team now gearing up for a Nations League showdown against Belgium on 25 September 2026, the federation is already sifting through a handful of candidates. Guardiola remains one of the more headline‑grabbing possibilities, but Malago made clear that discussions are still in the exploratory phase and no formal offer has been made.

Should the talks move forward, it would mark a dramatic shift for the Spanish tactician, swapping club pitches for the pressures of international football. For Italy, it could also be a bold attempt to inject fresh ideas after a humbling miss on the world stage. Only time will tell whether the two will end up on the same side of the bench.