Pep Guardiola steps down, Andrea Pirlo is the top candidate for the Azzurri bench.

Night brings wisdom. And so it must have been for Pep Guardiola, who pondered Paolo Maldini's offer to take the reins of the Italian national team and put his stamp on the Azzurri's new direction. The Catalan coach's response, which came during the night between Thursday and Friday, was negative. He said he was honored to be considered for the role of coach, but in reality, Guardiola had already made up his mind: he wanted to dedicate himself to his family after ten seasons at Manchester City. The fact that he thought carefully about it means he was aware of the great opportunity the FIGC offered him and would allow him to return to a country he loves. It's enough to recall his affection for coach Carletto Mazzone, his coach during his time at Brescia, who dedicated the Champions League victory in 2009 to Paolo Maldini. The seriousness with which he considered the offer and the reasoning behind declining it confirm the coach's human, as well as technical, stature. Financial considerations have nothing to do with it. Guardiola reportedly reached an agreement in a flash. Now, Maldini and Leonardo are firmly focused on Andrea Pirlo, who will have to terminate his contract with United FC Dubai. The pairing Malagò desired as the FIGC's technical director is targeting someone capable of carrying out a medium- to long-term project. Qualifying for European Championship 2028 is just around the corner, with the focus then on the 2030 World Cup, which will be played between Morocco, Portugal, and Spain. The goal of a strong and competitive national team is being pursued as part of a program to develop local talent.