Italy in shock talks with Pep Guardiola to revive Azzurri after World Cup failures | OneFootball

Italy have spoken with Pep Guardiola in a bid to convince him to take over as the national team head coach.

The Italian Football Federation has met with Guardiola and his camp in efforts to persuade him to become their new manager, following the departure of Gennaro Gattuso.

Gattusoexited as manager of the Azzurri following the failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup. The four-time world champions have not qualified for the World Cup since 2014.

"With a heavy heart, having failed to achieve the goal we set ourselves, I consider my time as coach of the national team to be over," Gattuso said at the time.

"The Azzurri jersey is the most precious asset in football, which is why it's right to facilitate future technical evaluations right from the start.

"It has been an honour to lead the national team, and to do so with a group of players who have shown commitment and devotion to the jersey."

Azzurri make bold move: Italy approach Pep Guardiola to lead national team resurgence

According toSky in Italy, Guardiola's camp have held initial talks with Italy over the vacant role. The 55-year-old is out of work since leaving Manchester City at the end of the 2025/26 campaign, following a decade of success at the Etihad.

Guardiola won 20 trophies in 10 seasons with Manchester City, including six Premier League titles and the 2023 Champions League. He previously won six league titles and two further Champions League trophies during spells at FC Barcelona and Bayern Munich.

Italy have now made a bold bid to appoint Guardiola as the nation look to reestablish themselves in international football. Italy had not missed a World Cup in 60 years prior to the 2018 tournament, but have now missed three consecutive finals.

Guardiola spent time in Italy during his playing career, with spells at Brescia and AS Roma.