Paolo Maldini has been officially appointed as the Technical Director of the Italian Football Federation.

The iconic former AC Milan star Paolo Maldini was formally named as the new Technical Director of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC).

Joining the AC Milan legend on this new journey is his former teammate Leonardo, who will serve as an advisor. This decision was confirmed by the FIGC, marking a significant step in the comprehensive overhaul of Italian football following a prolonged period of crisis.

The sweeping changes began in late March, when FIGC President Gabriele Gravina resigned after the Italian national team suffered a bitter defeat in its bid to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.

Head coach Gennaro Gattuso and team manager Gianluigi Buffon also stepped down from their positions. In June, Giovanni Malagò was elected as the new FIGC President and immediately began the rebuilding process, with the top priority being to find a Technical Director of sufficient stature to guide the future of the national team.

Maldini, one of the greatest icons in the history of Italian football, has been chosen for this demanding role. According to local media, he will be granted unprecedented authority to rebuild the country's football system. This is an especially challenging task, given that the four-time World Cup champions have missed the last three editions of the tournament.

Both Maldini and Leonardo have signed four-year contracts with the FIGC, lasting until the end of the 2030 World Cup. On the federation's official website, President Malagò announced: "I am very pleased that Paolo Maldini has accepted the role of Technical Director of the FIGC. Additionally, he will also serve as President of Club Italia."

Commenting on this decision, Malagò stated that Maldini was always his first choice. According to the new FIGC President, the Technical Director will not only be in charge of the national team but also responsible for developing the entire youth system.

After several detailed discussions about the development plan, Maldini proposed bringing Leonardo on board as an advisor, given the enormous workload and the need for close collaboration.

Malagò also had high praise for the legendary duo: "I have great respect for Leonardo. He and Maldini are like two sides of the same coin. We are all working toward the goal of building a solid foundation for Italian football from now until the 2030 World Cup, while also preparing well for the upcoming European Championships."

The next major task for Maldini, Leonardo, and Malagò will be to choose a new head coach for the Italian national team. According to the latest reports from Italian media, Roberto Mancini is currently the leading candidate, ahead of Antonio Conte in the race for the Azzurri hot seat.