Paolo Maldini and Leonardo have resigned from their positions within the Italian Football Federation following the collapse of Andrea Pirlo’s prospective appointment as Italy’s head coach. The departures mark a swift reversal in the federation’s recent efforts to restructure its national team management after Italy failed to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup.

Maldini was appointed as technical director on July 11, tasked with overseeing a rebuild of the national side amid widespread disappointment over the team’s absence from the upcoming World Cup. Leonardo, the former Brazil international, joined shortly thereafter as an adviser to Maldini. However, both officials stepped down after less than three weeks in their roles.

Their resignations came shortly after Pirlo confirmed on social media that he was no longer being considered for the head coach position. The former Italy midfielder’s anticipated appointment had become controversial due to his commercial ties to a Russian betting company, Fonbet. These affiliations reportedly sparked significant opposition within the Italian football community, contributing to the collapse of the deal.

Pirlo posted on Instagram that he had “heard last night that I’m no longer the candidate for the Italy national team job,” signaling the end of negotiations. The Italian Football Federation has not publicly commented on the specifics surrounding his withdrawal or the subsequent resignations of Maldini and Leonardo.

This sequence of events represents a setback for the federation’s attempts to chart a new direction following Italy’s unprecedented failure to reach the World Cup finals for a third time in succession, a historic low point for the national team. The federation now faces renewed uncertainty as it seeks to appoint a new head coach and rebuild trust with fans and stakeholders.