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Pep Guardiola, the former Manchester City boss, has reportedly held discussions about taking over as Italy's next national team manager.
Sky in Italy reports that Italian federation director Paolo Maldini and his advisor Leonardo traveled to Barcelona over the weekend to meet with Guardiola, who has been without a club since departing Man City this summer. The meeting was aimed at presenting him with a role encompassing both management of the national side and involvement in developing a long-term vision for Italian football.
No decision has been made yet, with Italian officials hopeful that their pitch was compelling enough to secure Guardiola's commitment.
Would Guardiola Be Interested in International Management?
What Guardiola's next step will be remains uncertain, but one thing is clear — he has a strong desire to prove himself in international football.
As early as 2018, he spoke openly about his "dream" of managing at a World Cup and a European Championship. In a 2025 interview with Reuters, he added the Copa América to his list of goals while leaving the door open to managing a team outside of Europe.
"I have always thought about it," he emphasized. "But it depends on many, many things. If it happens, it's fine. If it doesn't happen, it's more than fine as well."
Notably, when he first spoke about his international management ambitions eight years ago, he hinted at a timeframe that aligns closely with the present day.
"In eight, 12, 14 years maybe it could happen," he said back in 2018. "It's just a dream I have as a manager and a person. Maybe it happens, maybe it doesn't."
Which Teams Could Guardiola Manage?
On the surface, Spain would seem like the most natural fit. Guardiola earned 47 caps for La Roja during his playing career, including two appearances at the 1994 World Cup on American soil.
However, Spain is the one nation Guardiola has explicitly ruled out. "I think that is not going to happen," he stated firmly, without offering further explanation.
His complicated relationship with Spain likely stems from his strong identity as a Catalan, given that the region has long been at the center of an independence movement. He even represented Catalonia's unofficial international team on several occasions, a side not recognized by UEFA or FIFA.
This has left the field wide open for other nations around the world. Guardiola was frequently linked with Brazil prior to Carlo Ancelotti's appointment, while The Athletic recently disclosed that Guardiola had a verbal agreement to manage England before he signed a contract extension with City in 2024.
Italy is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious international sides in the world, yet presents a distinctive challenge as a footballing powerhouse in serious need of a revival.
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Since lifting the 2006 World Cup trophy, Italy has not won a single knockout match in the tournament, suffering group-stage exits in the two editions that followed and failing to qualify altogether in 2018, 2022, or 2026. Their triumph at Euro 2020 remains the sole bright spot in recent memory.
If Guardiola is seeking a role that goes beyond mere management and involves reshaping the footballing identity of an entire country, Italy may well represent the ideal opportunity right now.