Maldini Walks Away: Italy’s Sporting Project Collapses After 16 Days

Paolo Maldini has resigned as Italy's technical director just 16 days after his appointment, citing an unresolved "head coach saga" that made his position untenable. The high-profile departure exposes a brutal clash between the elite footballing vision Maldini represents and the FIGC's internal power struggles.

Insiders say the rupture centered on authority over the selection and remit of the national team head coach and whether Maldini would have final say. Those are the structural fights that kill plans before they begin — Maldini expected autonomy and the federation offered politics.

The consequences are immediate: a leadership vacuum ahead of important fixtures and a stark warning to candidates that the FIGC is not currently a stable partner. For players, agents and potential coaches, this reads less like a single personnel failure and more like institutional rot that will damage Italy's preparations and reputation.

The Guru predicts the FIGC now faces two paths: concede clear sporting authority to a single technocrat or dig in and accept prolonged chaos that will cost results and credibility. My recommendation: appoint a neutral, internationally respected sporting director within two weeks, grant them unequivocal powers to hire the coach, and stop treating football appointments as political spoils.