The national team will not be entrusted to the former Milan and Juventus midfielder. Contacts with a Russian club with close ties to the Kremlin, doubts about his coaching track record and the debate over the future of the national team have led politicians and supporters to discuss merit, responsibility and appropriateness rather than football allegiances

The ideal candidate for our national team would be Pep Guardiola. However, in light of Maldini’s comments – “we’re waiting for the person we really want” – if the Spanish manager were to turn down the offer, it would then be Pirlo who takes the helm of the Azzurri