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MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 18: Pep Guardiola, Manager of Manchester City, reacts during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD1 match between Manchester City and SSC Napoli at City of Manchester Stadium on September 18, 2025 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images)
Leonardo Bonucci admits it’s ‘very hard’ to see Pep Guardiola as the Italy national team coach, but ‘dreaming doesn’t cost anything.’
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Former Italy defender Bonucci dreams of Guardiola’s appointment as the Azzurri head coach.
Bonucci wants Guardiola as new Italy coach
“Following the list of names that have emerged these days, if there’s a genuine desire to start again, I’d do so with the rumoured possibility of having Pep Guardiola, because bringing him would mean making a drastic change from the past,” Bonucci said in Madrid, via Gazzetta, while attending the 2026 Laureus World Sports Awards.
“I think it’s very hard, but dreaming doesn’t cost anything.”
Bonucci was one of Gennaro Gattuso’s assistants but didn’t step down in the wake of Italy’s World Cup play-off elimination, contrary to the coach and Delegation Chief Gigi Buffon.
Bonucci is part of the federation’s technical structure and was independent of the previous coaching staff. His contract expires in June 2026.
“I was asked to stay to link the scouting part of young players who could be called up for the June games,” he confirmed.
As the new FIGC President will only be elected on June 22, Italy’s international friendlies at the start of the same month, against Greece and Luxembourg, will be managed by U21 Italy coach Silvio Baldini.
A former Bari, Juventus and Milan defender, Bonucci played 121 games with the Italy national team, scoring eight goals.
He was part of the Azzurri squad that won the 2020 Euros and scored the equaliser in the final against England at Wembley Stadium.
ByLorenzo Bettoni
Lorenzo Bettoni is the Editor of Football Italia.
