Maldini as the technical director of the Italian national team.

The Italian Football Federation announced on Saturday the appointment of Milan legend Paolo Maldini as the technical director of the federation, in a move that falls within the restructuring of Italian football following the failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.

The president of the Italian Federation, Giovanni Malagò, confirmed in an official statement that Maldini has agreed to take on the position and will work alongside Brazilian Leonardo, who has been appointed as an advisor to the federation president.

This appointment comes after Malagò was elected president of the Italian Federation, succeeding Gabriele Gravina, who resigned from his position, as part of a comprehensive rebuilding process for Italian football after missing the World Cup for the third consecutive time.

Maldini returns to work in football for the first time since leaving AC Milan in June 2023, after serving as the development director between 2018 and 2019, before being promoted to technical director of the club.

As for Leonardo, who previously served as sporting director for Paris Saint-Germain during two separate terms, he will take on the role of advisor to the federation president, as part of the new team tasked with restructuring Italian football and restoring its status on the international stage.