He stressed that he could not comment on the events surrounding the selection of the new national team coach, partly because negotiations, negotiations, and—perhaps—considerations are ongoing. Giovanni Malagò agreed to discuss the state of Italian football, which he has been governing since June 22 from the main office on Via Allegri in Rome, the headquarters of the Italian Football Federation, thanks to his first-ballot election with 68.58% of the vote, after leading the CONI from 2013 to 2025. His analysis focused on the Cagliari stadium, for which he has already requested that deadlines be met in a letter to the Municipality, the Region, and the Rossoblu club: "We want to bring the national team," says the FIGC chief, "to play in the facility dedicated to Gigi Riva."
President Malagò, how did you find our football?
"There's a problem of international competitiveness, some structural criticalities to resolve, and a process of technical re-foundation that we're already addressing with a greater sense of unity and, above all, greater sharing. But overall, it's a vibrant movement, brimming with opportunities."
In the federal elections he united all the components of the movement, including amateurs.
It was a significant success, because the support extended far beyond those who had supported my candidacy. But the situation that convinced me to break the deadlock and embrace such a complex and fascinating challenge was the persistence with which they sought me out, believing I might be the right person to bring about a change. It was certainly a responsibility, but also a personal satisfaction, because I came from a historically very divided, if not downright contentious, world.
Is football really so low in popularity that it is almost overtaken by tennis?
"In truth, television ratings, the growing trend in stadium attendance, the steady number of registered members, and the attention of the media and fans demonstrate that football enjoys great appeal. As president of the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI), I have reiterated this many times: it's a positive thing that fans are passionate about different sports; it's profoundly wrong to pit them against each other. It's a good thing that in a large country like ours, there's an ever-growing sports culture."
