Paolo Maldini, a former Italy captain and one of the game’s most decorated defenders, is expected to become the technical director of the Italy national team. The appointment, which could be finalized in the coming days, aims to reshape Italian football by closing the gap between clubs and the national side.
Why the Role Matters
The technical director position has often been a behind-the-scenes job in Italian football. But Maldini’s potential hiring signals a shift. The federation wants stronger club-national team synergy and strategic continuity — two areas where Italy has struggled in recent years after missing two straight World Cups.
Maldini’s deep ties to AC Milan and his experience as a player and executive give him credibility with both club directors and players. He is expected to work closely with the national team coach and youth development programs to align tactics, training methods, and player pathways across Italy’s top clubs.
What the Job Entails
As technical director, Maldini would oversee the technical direction of the national team program. That includes scouting, youth development, and coordinating with club academies. The role is designed to ensure that young Italian players are developed with the national team’s needs in mind — a system that has worked well for countries like Germany and France.
Italy’s federation has not released an official job description, but sources describe it as a senior leadership post with influence over player selection and coaching staff appointments. Maldini would report directly to the federation president.
Maldini’s Return to the Azzurri Setup
This would be Maldini’s first formal role with the national team since he retired from playing in 2002 after 126 caps. He spent his entire playing career at AC Milan, winning seven Serie A titles and five European Cups. More recently, he served as technical director at AC Milan, where he helped rebuild the squad that won the 2022 Serie A title.
His return comes at a crucial time. Italy won Euro 2020 but failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup. The federation is looking for long-term stability rather than short-term fixes. Maldini’s appointment is seen as a move to build a sustainable pipeline of talent.
What’s Next
The federation is expected to make a formal announcement within the next two weeks. Maldini’s start date has not been confirmed, but he is likely to begin work immediately after the current international break. One unresolved question: how much authority he will have over the senior team coach’s decisions. That detail is still being negotiated.
