Antonio Conte, the former Chelsea boss, has urged the Italian Football Federation to pursue Pep Guardiola as the next manager of the national team following Guardiola’s departure from Manchester City. Conte made the suggestion after his own farewell match with Napoli, where he led the team to a 1-0 win over Udinese on Sunday, securing second place in Serie A—eleven points behind champions Inter Milan.
Conte’s name has been frequently linked with the Italy role, especially after the Azzurri failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup. However, the 54-year-old tactician believes Guardiola would be the ideal candidate. “People are talking about this. I remember what I said before about the national team; I would also consider myself among the candidates. But there is still no president of the federation. Guardiola’s name has come up, but is the federation ready to hire a top coach? That brings both challenges and success. At this moment, nothing is certain. If they want a top coach, I recommend Guardiola—but do they have the resources?” Conte stated to the press.
Guardiola ended his decade-long tenure at Manchester City on Sunday, with a 2-1 home loss to Aston Villa as his final game. The Spanish manager has announced he will take a sabbatical from coaching, though he has accepted a global ambassadorial role with the City Football Group. “Now is the right time. I won’t miss it for a while, that’s for sure,” Guardiola remarked after the match.
Conte’s departure from Napoli was confirmed earlier on Sunday, following their runners-up finish. The ex-Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur manager has been widely tipped to return to international management, particularly with Italy still without a head coach after Gennaro Gattuso resigned last month. Conte previously led Italy to a respectable quarterfinal finish at Euro 2016 before leaving the role.
The speculation around Guardiola’s next move continues, with Conte’s endorsement adding weight to the possibility of the Catalan coach taking charge of the Azzurri. However, Guardiola’s sabbatical and ambassadorial duties may delay any immediate appointment.