OneFootball
·24. Juli 2026
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·24. Juli 2026
Pep Guardiola has turned down the Italian national team’s offer to become its head coach, according to a report first published by La Gazzetta dello Sport and confirmed by Sky.
The Catalan manager thought it over for several days before saying no. Among the reasons were his desire to take some personal time and his refusal to lead a project without being involved on a daily basis one hundred percent.
“Thank you, it’s an honor, but right now I don’t feel up to it,” the Spanish coach replied in the early hours of yesterday morning to the offer put to him by Maldini and Leonardo.
The FIGC was offering him a long-term project, with its sights set on Euro 2028 and the 2032 World Cup. Guardiola, who left Manchester City after a decade in charge, did not even get as far as discussing the financial terms.
With Guardiola’s no now on the table, the Italian federation is activating its Plan B. Andrea Pirlo now appears as the leading candidate to take over the Azzurri bench.
There is still no confirmed date for the official announcement of the new head coach. The Italian Federation will have to resolve the situation before preparations begin for Euro 2028.
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.
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