Cesc Fàbregas rules out Italy job, focused on club management
Cesc Fàbregas has ruled himself out of contention for the vacant Italy national team manager's position, stating his current focus remains on daily club football. The former Spain international, now head coach of Serie B side Como, made the comments after becoming the first foreign recipient of the Enzo Bearzot award for Italy's coach of the year. According to his remarks, the 37-year-old finds the idea of international management "a bit boring" at this stage of his career.
Fàbregas, who only retired from playing in 2023, explained his reasoning during the award ceremony. "Maybe one day, but for now, I am still too much of a coach," he said. "I need to be on the pitch every day with the players, the young players, preparing for matches. Working for a national team would be a bit boring for me at this moment. In the future, when I am older, you never know." The Italian Football Federation is seeking a permanent successor for Luciano Spalletti, who left the role after Italy's early exit from Euro 2024.
In the interim, the federation has appointed Silvio Baldini, the current Italy Under-21 coach, to take charge of the senior team for the upcoming June international window. This temporary solution allows the search for a long-term appointment to continue. Several high-profile Italian and international names have been linked with the prestigious role, which carries the pressure of rebuilding the Azzurri after their failure to qualify for the 2022 World Cup and their recent European Championship disappointment.
Fàbregas's commitment to Como removes one potential candidate from the federation's list. His rapid transition from player to award-winning coach in Italy has been notable. After hanging up his boots, he immediately stepped into the head coach role at the Lombardy club, which he had previously served as a player. Under his guidance, Como secured promotion to Serie A for the 2024-25 season, a significant achievement that undoubtedly contributed to his Enzo Bearzot award recognition.
The Spaniard's stance underscores a common divide in management, between the day-to-day intensity of club football and the more sporadic, long-term planning required in international management. For Fàbregas, deeply immersed in the formative stages of his coaching career, the project at Como takes clear precedence. His focus will now shift entirely to preparing his newly-promoted side for the challenges of Italy's top flight, a task that will demand his full attention.
Meanwhile, the search for Italy's next manager continues. The federation will be tasked with identifying a figure capable of restoring the four-time world champions to their former glory, with the 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign on the horizon. Fàbregas's comments, while closing one door, highlight the attractive profile modern federations seek: a young, tactically progressive coach with a proven ability to develop talent, a profile he himself now embodies from the club side.
