Guardiola Rejected Italy Job: 'Thanks, I'm Honored, but I Don't Feel Like It'
After days of deliberation, the Catalan tactician thanked FIGC and explained why he needs a break from football
After days of deliberation, the Catalan tactician thanked FIGC and explained why he needs a break from football
Pep Guardiola (56) has officially turned down the offer from the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) to take over the Azzurri bench. According to multiple Italian and Croatian media reports, the decision, communicated to FIGC on Wednesday, July 24, stems from Guardiola's deep need for a break after an exhausting decade at Manchester City.
The key to Guardiola's refusal was not money, as confirmed by Paolo Maldini himself, but his desire to finally dedicate time to his family. The former Bayern and Barcelona manager promised his wife and children that he would take a year off from the daily stress and life under the football spotlight. Guardiola publicly explained:
"Everything in my life has been connected to football since I became a coach at 37. Now I want to discover life and be happy doing things not related to football," Guardiola said, as reported by Football Italia.
An especially emotional reason is his 95-year-old father, with whom he wants to spend more time. "I'm 56, not young anymore, perspective changes," Guardiola added, explaining how over the past ten years he realized he missed too many important family moments. Therefore, despite respecting the greatness of the Italian national team, the decision for a "sabbatical year" was final.
The duo tasked with finding a new coach, Italian football legends Paolo Maldini and Leonardo, did everything they could. In FIGC's vision, Guardiola was to be the centerpiece of a long-term project, lasting eight to ten years, aimed at returning Italy to the top of the world. "It was natural to seek the best coach in the world. Of course, before him we also spoke with Carlo Ancelotti," Maldini admitted at a press conference. Although aware the mission was nearly impossible, he hoped that his friendship with Guardiola-to whom he once dedicated his first Champions League win-would tip the scales. Guardiola, however, was clear, and according to Gazzetta dello Sport, his response was: "Thanks, I'm honored, but I don't feel like it right now."
With Plan A scrapped, FIGC quickly pivoted to Option B. The leading candidate for the new coach is now legendary midfielder Andrea Pirlo, whom Maldini and Leonardo see as the ideal man to launch a new era for Italian football. Pirlo currently manages United FC Emirates, but is known for his modern and bold style of play. The federation believes he is the right profile for a project that aims to peak at Euro 2028 and the 2030 World Cup. There is little time to wait, as the Nations League starts in eight weeks.
The urgency to find a solution is clear from the disastrous run of results for one of the most decorated national teams. Although four-time world champions, Italy has failed to qualify for the last three World Cups. The new coach, whether Pirlo or someone else, will have to rebuild the squad from the ground up and restore the respect it lacks. Guardiola, on the other hand, has decided to leave that challenge to others and step outside the football bubble, at least for a while.
