Buffon rejects opportunity to return to Italy set-up under Maldini and Malagò

Buffon rejects opportunity to return to Italy set-up under Maldini and Malagò It has been a day of rejections for the Italy national team, as Pep Guardiola is no longer in the running to take over as CT and the latest reports from La Gazzetta dello Sport claim that Gianluigi Buffon has also turned down the opportunity to return to the Azzurri set-up. Buffon also says no to Italy offer Recently-appointed FIGC technical director Paolo Maldini and his advisor Leonardo are still on the hunt for a new head coach to take over the Italy national team after learning that neither Guardiola nor Carlo Ancelotti will take on the role. Andrea Pirlo is now among the frontrunners according to the initial reports on Friday. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Maldini had also sought to make another appointment separate to the new head coach and had approached Buffon with an offer to return to the Italy set-up . This would have been a ‘hands-on’ role within Club Italia, the body responsible for overseeing the Italy national team at all levels and age groups. Buffon had previously served as Italy’s delegation chief, but resigned along with Gennaro Gattuso and former FIGC President Gabriele Gravina immediately after the World Cup play-off final defeat against Bosnia and Herzegovina at the end of March, which cost the Azzurri a spot at the final tournament for the third time in a row. UDINE – OCTOBER 14: Gianluigi Buffon, Head of Delegation, looks on prior to the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier match between Italy and Israel at Stadio Friuli on October 14, 2025 in Udine. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images) According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Buffon had strongly considered Maldini’s offer to return to the Italy set-up. Maldini was keen to bring in a popular character with such an enormous wealth of experience with the Nazionale – Buffon is the nation’s record caps holder, is among the country’s most recent World Cup winners and is already well familiar with the current squad and set-up. However, La Gazzetta dello Sport suggests that Buffon does not feel that this is the right time for him to jump back into football. ROME – JUNE 19: Gianluigi Buffon, Gennaro Gattuso and FIGC president Gabriele Gravina pose during the press conference at Hotel Parco dei Principi on June 19, 2025 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images) His career has hardly stopped since turning professional in 1995, retiring in 2023 before taking on his first role with the Italy national team later that year. He has been out of work since the beginning of April, is expected to continue spending time with his family and loved ones while continuing to ‘study’ for a future career in management or as a director.