Alessandro Del Piero
Italian football legend and World Cup winner turned pundit and newly licensed coach.
Last refreshed: 5 April 2026
Could the man who scored Italy into the 2006 final now coach the Azzurri?
Latest on Alessandro Del Piero
- What did Alessandro Del Piero do in the 2006 World Cup?
- Del Piero scored in the semi-final against Germany and converted a shootout penalty in the final as Italy beat France to win the tournament.Source: background
- Has Del Piero got a coaching licence?
- Yes. He completed the UEFA Pro Licence at Coverciano in May 2025, qualifying him to manage at the highest professional level.Source: background
- Is Alessandro Del Piero going to coach Italy?
- His name circulated following Gattuso's resignation in April 2026, but no appointment has been confirmed. He remains primarily a pundit.Source: background
- How many goals did Del Piero score for Juventus?
- 290 goals in 705 appearances — both club records.Source: quick_facts
Background
Alessandro Del Piero won the 2006 FIFA World Cup with Italy, scoring a decisive goal in the semi-final against Germany and converting a penalty in the final shootout against France. After nineteen seasons and 290 goals at Juventus, he retired in 2014 and became a football analyst for Sky Sport Italia and CBS Sports. He completed the UEFA Pro Licence at Coverciano in May 2025, formally qualifying him to manage at the highest professional level. When Gennaro Gattuso resigned in April 2026, Del Piero's name circulated as part of a broader debate about who should rebuild the Azzurri.
Del Piero made 705 appearances for Juventus, a club record, and earned 91 international caps for Italy. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of Italian football. His broadcasting work spans Serie A, the Champions League and international tournaments, giving him a prominent public voice on the coaching vacancy.
His significance in this moment is partly symbolic: Del Piero embodies the era of Italian football dominance that the current generation has failed to sustain. Italy has now missed three consecutive World Cups, and the search for a new coaching identity has inevitably drawn comparisons with figures from the 2006 triumph. Whether Del Piero transitions from pundit to coach remains to be seen, but his UEFA Pro Licence has made the question credible.