Sundby Overview

The search for a new Italy head coach has been thrown into chaos following the sensational collapse of Andrea Pirlo's candidacy. With the former Juventus midfielder officially out of the running, heavyweights Antonio Conte and Roberto Mancini have emerged as the primary contenders to lead the Azzurri rebuild.

Andrea Pirlo has officially confirmed that he is no longer in the running to become the next head coach of the Italian national team. The former Juventus and AC Milan midfielder expressed his deep "bitterness" after his potential appointment was derailed by complications surrounding his commercial partnership with a betting company.

Lionel Messi could have represented Brazil instead of Argentina, according to a three-year historical investigation into his maternal lineage. The Inter Miami star, who inspired La Albiceleste to the 2026 World Cup final before suffering a 1-0 defeat to Spain, was also eligible to play for Italy and Spain during his iconic career.

Andrea Pirlo is set to be named the new Italy head coach early next week after agreeing terms on a four-year contract. The former World Cup winner emerged as the primary candidate for the national team job after Carlo Ancelotti and Pep Guardiola declined the federation's initial approaches, paving the way for his return to the Azzurri set-up.