Maldini walks out on Italy after just 16 days as Pirlo veto triggers federation meltdown

Italian football has been thrown into fresh turmoil after Paolo Maldini resigned as technical director of the national team following a bitter dispute over the appointment of the next head coach. The AC Milan legend handed in his notice alongside advisor Leonardo after FIGC president Giovanni Malago vetoed the hiring of Andrea Pirlo - a decision Maldini and Leonardo saw as an unacceptable interference in their work. The crisis erupted just over two weeks after Maldini took up the role, tasked with rebuilding the Azzurri's sporting structure after the team failed to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup, losing to Bosnia and Herzegovina on penalties in March. Maldini and Leonardo had initially pursued a bold plan. They met Pep Guardiola in Barcelona to sell the former Manchester City boss on a long-term vision for Italian football. The Spaniard took nearly a week to decide but ultimately rejected the offer, citing family reasons rather than financial demands. With Carlo Ancelotti also declining, Maldini turned to an old friend: Andrea Pirlo, the 47-year-old World Cup winner currently managing Dubai United. Pirlo was eager to take the job and accepted the FIGC's proposal. But Malago intervened. Pirlo's role as a global ambassador for Fonbet - a Russian betting company blacklisted in Italy - and his ties to Dubai United's Russian billionaire owner Sergey Lomakin made the appointment politically toxic. Pirlo insisted his links were purely commercial, but the damage was done. He was told he was no longer in contention. Maldini and Leonardo felt undermined and submitted their resignations, which were confirmed during a Federal Assembly meeting. Serie A president Ezio Maria Simonelli said the resignation was not a surprise: "Maldini had chosen Pirlo, but he won't be the coach. I'm disappointed because Maldini was a great choice." The FIGC now must restart the search for a new technical director and head coach, with Roberto Mancini reportedly back in the frame.