Pep Guardiola Could Be The Radical Change Italy Needs, Says Bonucci

Italy’s search for a new head coach has turned towards a bold idea, with Leonardo Bonucci publicly backing Pep Guardiola as the candidate who could guide the Azzurri out of a prolonged crisis and restore consistent success at major international tournaments.

Italy are replacing Gennaro Gattuso after the play-off final defeat to Bosnia-Herzegovina ended hopes of reaching the 2026 World Cup, marking a third straight failure to qualify and deepening concern over the national team’s long-term direction and identity.

Bonucci, who worked as an assistant to Gattuso, argued that the Italian Football Federation should aim for a global profile on the bench, stating: "If we want a radical change in the national team, I'd say the right man for the job is Pep Guardiola, Bonucci said. It's very difficult, but dreaming costs nothing."

Speaking to Sky Sports, Bonucci noted that several big names have been mentioned in the media during early discussions about the vacancy, explaining: "I read in the newspapers that Guardiola is a possibility, as is [Napoli's Antonio] Conte or [AC Milan's Massimiliano] Allegri."

Guardiola has managed Manchester City since 2016 and signed a two-year contract extension in 2023, keeping the current deal active until June 2027, yet Guardiola has also previously indicated interest in leading a national team once the Premier League chapter ends.

Bonucci described why Guardiola appeals so strongly at this stage for Italy, stressing the need for a fresh identity: "The most important [thing] is that there's a new chapter for Italian football and players. I love him [Guardiola], I think he's one of the best coaches in the world, so he could be very important for us."

The scale of the task is clear from Italy’s recent World Cup record, as the four-time winners are the first former champions to miss three consecutive tournaments, with the Azzurri last appearing at the finals in 2014 and last reaching a knockout match when defeating France in the 2006 final.

Italy’s Euro 2020 triumph showed that the team can still compete at the highest level, yet Bonucci argued that one strong cycle is not enough, and that the national setup requires deep changes if Italy want to challenge regularly again for international trophies rather than in occasional bursts.

Bonucci called for honesty about the current state of the side, saying: "We need to have the courage to face up to what's happening so that we can regain the respect of the whole world and become that great national team that was world champion, he said."

For Bonucci, structural reform matters as much as the identity of the coach, as shown when Bonucci explained: "The important thing is to rebuild Italian football, starting from the ground up, starting with the defence. Italy needs time and a partnership between politics and football so that both can move in the same direction."

Bonucci also highlighted the next generation, insisting that Italy already have raw materials for improvement, adding: "There are young players with a lot of talent; we need to nurture them and let them develop and start afresh. The only magic formula is time."

Whether or not Guardiola ever becomes Italy head coach, Bonucci’s comments underline the sense that the Azzurri stand at a turning point, where leadership choices, long-term planning and support for talented younger players will decide how quickly Italy can return to the elite level of international football.