Claudio Ranieri, 74, the former Leicester City manager who won the Premier League against 5,000-to-1 odds in 2016, has been appointed as the technical director of the Italian national team. The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) is making this appointment after a series of failed qualifications for major tournaments and constant turnover in technical leadership, the latest being Paolo Maldini, who stayed only 16 days before leaving over disagreements regarding the head coach selection. Ranieri, who had declined the national team head coach position in June 2025 to stay with AS Roma, will now oversee Italy’s football development strategy, from talent identification to systemic infrastructure restructuring. Italy, a four-time World Cup winner, is attempting to end a structural crisis that also affects Serie A clubs and their fan engagement, particularly through crypto fan tokens.
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