Silvio Baldini Declines Permanent Italy Role After Two Wins

Silvio Baldini said he is not interested in a permanent Italy head‑coach job, emphasizing he only wants to be useful. He arrived as caretaker and has already overseen two victories. Italy beat Luxembourg 1‑0 on Wednesday and Greece 1‑0 on Sunday, with Francesco Pio Esposito scoring the decisive goal in both matches. Gianluigi Donnarumma was the sole experienced player among a squad that featured 19 debutants out of 24. Baldini explained that he values rules and a proper lifestyle as resources for young players, noting that confidence and a bit of luck are also important. He said his aim was to let the boys appreciate their achievements on the pitch. The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) will hold a presidential election on June 22, 2026, after which a decision on the senior coach will be taken. Baldini also praised the Italy U17 European Championship win over Belgium on penalties, saying the step from the Under‑21s to the senior side is now less steep. Baldini reiterated that he sees himself as part of the Italy family and will continue to focus on doing his job well. The accompanying photo from the UEFA Euro U21 Qualification match in Cremona was taken by Marco M. Mantovani.