This summer has been a busy one across Coverciano, with a number of major talking points in Italian football.
Rounding off the summer developments is the confirmation of Silvio Baldini as the Head Coach of Italy's U-21 national team on a full-time basis.
Baldini spent a brief spell in interim charge of the senior national team amid their coaching uncertainty earlier this year.
The experienced tactician will now return to his role with the U-21s, with national icon Gianfranco Zola having also been employed to play a role in the development of young players.
Silvio Baldini Resumes Italy U-21 Role Following Senior Interim Spell
Silvio Baldini was the one the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) turned to while they were without a coach for the Azzurri in the June international window.
Baldini had been in charge of the Azzurrini since 2025, with former Juventus defender Andrea Barzagli working as his assistant.
In a bid to make a statement about the quality of Italy's young players, he called up only one player above the age of 22, Gianluigi Donnarumma, alongside a largely young squad for the friendlies against Luxembourg and Greece.
Italy won both games by a 1-0 scoreline, validating Baldini’s decision to field a team of youngsters in both matches.
He now hands back control of the senior national team to Roberto Mancini, who was hired after a failed approach for Pep Guardiola and a controversial deal with Andrea Pirlo.
His efforts will now be geared entirely towards the U-21 team as it has been for the past year.
Gianfranco Zola Takes Key Role in Italy’s Youth Development Structure
Off the pitch, the FIGC took the decision to bring in Gianfranco Zola, a former Chelsea coach, in an administrative and technical role.
He was named as the Youth Activities Project Coordinator for the national team.
He will work in tandem with youth coordinator Maurizio Viscidi to oversee pathways of development.
His job description also involves ensuring a clear tactical alignment across all national youth levels. This would enable players to move through age groups without needing a great deal of change.
Carmine Nunziata, Massimiliano Favo, and Italy's Complete Youth Hierarchy
The FIGC implemented an exercise that touched on every age group, bringing their youth teams under a single umbrella.
At U-20 level, Carmine Nunziata keeps his job as head coach.
He will be supported by assistants Luigi Di Biagio and Christian Maggio.
Elsewhere, Massimiliano Favo has been promoted to lead the U-19s, while Daniele Franceschini takes charge of the U-18s.
The U-17s will be coached by Manuel Pasqual, with Giovanni Costantino taking over as head coach of the U-16 team.
Enrico Battisti remains in charge of the U-15s, while Luigi Milani leads the U-14s.
All youth teams will look to work together to properly feed players into the system, and potentially get them to play for the Azzurri.
Italy have failed to qualify for the last three editions of the FIFA World Cup, a major disappointment for all concerned.
Their U-17 side won the Euros this year, and they will view this as a starting point for their long-term project.
