Football in Italy is going through an extremely complex transitional phase, following the major shock of failing to qualify for the World Cup finals—a crisis that has paved the way for radical changes within the federation and raised crucial questions about the future of the Azzurri.
In a notable development, Gabriele Gravina has confirmed his resignation as president of the Italian Football Federation, plunging the entire organisation into a period of comprehensive reorganisation, spearheaded by the crisis of selecting an interim manager for the senior national team, pending a decision on the permanent coach who will succeed Gennaro Gattuso.
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According to press reports on Sunday, Antonio Conte has emerged as the leading candidate to take charge of the Italian national team, in a move that could mark his return to the international scene after years of absence.
The 56-year-old Antonio Conte has shown clear enthusiasm for taking on the role for the second time in his career, despite being under contract with Napoli until June 2027.
Reports suggest that club president Aurelio De Laurentiis may not object to Conte’s departure next summer, particularly if Giovanni Malagò is elected as the new president of the Italian Football Federation during the upcoming elections on 22 June, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport.
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Conte previously managed the Italian national team between 2014 and 2016, successfully reaching the quarter-finals of Euro 2016 before being eliminated on penalties by Germany, a feat that bolsters his chances of securing widespread support within the federation.
In a related development, an interim manager – likely to be Silvio Baldini – is expected to be appointed to lead the national team in friendly matches throughout June, with the permanent manager to be announced by the end of the month or early July, following the conclusion of the federation’s presidential elections.
Other names have also been put forward as candidates, such as Massimiliano Allegri and Roberto Mancini, but Allegri’s determination to stay at Milan, coupled with the controversy surrounding Mancini’s sudden departure to coach the Saudi Arabian national team in 2023, has boosted Conte’s chances of returning to the helm of the Italian national team during one of the most sensitive periods in its recent history.
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