Guardiola in reported talks with Italy - would England come calling?

CommentsPep Guardiola has had huge success managing in Spain, Germany and England – could Italy be next?

Sky in Italy have reported that the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) has held talks with the former Manchester City boss, external to try to convince him to become their new national team head coach.

Reports say legendary Italian defender Paolo Maldini, the new technical director of the FIGC, and his advisor Leonardo, travelled to Barcelona and spoke with Guardiola over three days.

Former Italy internationals Roberto Mancini and Andrea Pirlo are also in contention, while Guardiola would become only the second non-Italian to take over the national team - and the first since the 1960s - if he took the job.

It would also see a remarkable return to football, only a few months after his successful 10-year spell at Etihad Stadium came to an end in May.

However, it would not be his first taste of Italian football.

Guardiola, 55, is a fluent Italian speaker and spent two seasons playing in Italy's Serie A, from 2001 to 2003, with two spells at Brescia and one at Roma.

Italy beat England in the European Championship final in 2021 but have failed to qualify for three successive World Cups.

Gennaro Gattuso left the role of head coach in April after they were beaten by Bosnia-Herzegovina on penalties in the European play-off to miss out on the 2026 tournament in North America.

If Guardiola was ready to return to management, would the English Football Association make an approach?

England have just finished third in the World Cup, their highest position in a men's tournament since winning it in 1966.

However, boss Thomas Tuchel has been widely criticised after the 2-1 semi-final loss to Argentina as his defensive substitutions were perceived to have contributed to the Three Lions being unable to hold on to their 1-0 advantage.

Tuchel, 52, signed a two-year contract extension in February having been appointed in January 2025 and retains the backing of the FA.

But former England captain Wayne Rooney felt the FA might "go and get" Guardiola if he is available.

"I don't see anyone else out there at the minute, unless you go and get Pep Guardiola. If Pep is available, then maybe you go and get him," Rooney said on The Wayne Rooney Show after England's loss to Argentina.

"If we sack him [Tuchel], what managers are we going to bring in? And I don't think there's anyone out there who's as good as Thomas Tuchel, unless Guardiola."

The FA approached Guardiola before appointing Tuchel, with reports suggesting there was a verbal agreement, external in place, with Guardiola remaining at Manchester City.

During his decade in England, Guardiola won 20 trophies, including the Premier League six times, the FA Cup on three occasions, the League Cup five times and the Community Shield three times.

He also won the Champions League in 2023, following that with the Uefa Super Cup and the Fifa Club World Cup.

Manchester City was only Guardiola's third job in club management.

After beginning at Barcelona, the club where he spent most of his playing career, three successful years at Bayern Munich followed, taking them to the Bundesliga in every season, as well as the German Cup twice and both the Uefa Super Cup and Club World Cup once apiece.

In club football, there is not much Guardiola has not won.

At Barcelona, having moved up from coaching their 'B' side to the first team, Guardiola left having lifted three La Ligas, two Champions Leagues, five domestic cups and the Uefa Super Cup and Club World Cup twice each.

Guardiola said a tearful goodbye to Manchester City fans after the final game of the 2025-26 season, a 2-1 home loss to Aston Villa.

He said: "I am so tired. Seriously, I am so tired. I did everything. We did it.

"The memories I have of Barcelona and Bayern Munich are unbeatable but the luggage of memories I have from here from 10 years is more than any other.

"Without the trophies I would have been sacked but it is not looking at the trophies in the cabinet at home that makes me happy. It is the memories and connections I had since day one with the city, the backroom staff and the players."

Despite the emotional send-off, Guardiola had no doubt he was making the right decision.

He said: "It is the right time. I will not miss it for a while, that's for sure."

Guardiola's City side pushed Arsenal throughout the 2025-26 season, before the Gunners clinched the title in the final week of the campaign.

Mentally and physically drained, Guardiola said he needed "rest" and "to step back" from club football, adding "he would not have the energy that's required [for a match] every three days, with expectations to fight for titles".

But could he really stay away from the game and would international football, without the day-to-day intensity that comes with the club game, be the perfect way back in?

Italy have a glorious football history, winning four World Cups and the European Championship twice, but are now down to 15th in the world rankings, having had to watch on from home for a third successive World Cup.

Guardiola's main task would be to secure qualification for Euro 2028, which will take place in the United Kingdom and Ireland, with the qualifiers in 2027.

But there would not be much time before the big games came about.

The Azzurri's next match is at home against Belgium in the Nations League on 25 September, at Rome's Stadio Olimpico, where Guardiola played for Roma.

It would be a busy start for Guardiola, with Italy also drawn alongside Turkey and World Cup semi-finalists France in the Nations League and six matches between September and November.

But, as we have seen, Guardiola has never been afraid of a challenge. It could be an immediate return to the game for one of the all-time great managers.