Some appointments in football carry a weight that goes beyond the role itself.
They represent something symbolic.
A return. A homecoming. A legend choosing to give back to the game — and the country — that made him who he is.
This is one of those appointments.
Paolo Maldini officially named Director as Italian football legend accepts four-year role
According to the FIGC, Federation president Giovanni Malago has officially confirmed that Maldini has accepted the offer to become Italy’s Technical Director.
A role that comes with immediate appointment as President of Club Italia and will see him oversee not just the senior Azzurri but the entire national team pathway from youth level upward.
Alongside him, Leonardo, another legend of Italian football, has been confirmed as an Advisor.
The two will work in tandem.
Malago’s words in making the announcement were unambiguous about how long he had wanted this.
“Maldini was always my first choice,” the FIGC president said.
“I felt he could be the right person to oversee the FIGC’s technical sector, which doesn’t just cover the senior national team but the entire pathway of the national youth teams.”
He added: “Over the past two weeks, we have discussed all the projects in detail, and Paolo immediately told me that he would be happy to involve Leonardo as a consultant because there is a lot of work to do and it will be demanding and challenging.”
The partnership makes complete sense for those who know both men.
Leonardo and Maldini shared a dressing room at AC Milan for years.
This is a four-year commitment with clear milestones attached.
A European Championship to navigate.
And a home World Cup in 2030, as the ultimate destination.
For Italian football, which has endured years of turbulence since the 2006 World Cup triumph in Germany, the arrival of Maldini in this role represents something entirely new.
Not another manager.
Not another temporary solution.
But, a structural change.
Maldini won five Champions Leagues as a player. He rebuilt AC Milan’s football operations as technical director and delivered a Serie A title.
Now he inherits the biggest job in Italian football.
And he’s already asked his trusted partner to come with him.
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