Antonio Conte
Napoli's title-winning manager and the FIGC's leading candidate to coach Italy after 2026 World Cup failure.
Last refreshed: 5 April 2026
Will Antonio Conte leave Napoli to rescue Italy's broken national project?
Latest on Antonio Conte
- Is Antonio Conte going to be the next Italy manager?
- Conte is the FIGC's leading candidate following Gattuso's resignation in April 2026. He is reportedly open to the role but conditions around FIGC governance are a prerequisite.Source: background
- Has Antonio Conte managed Italy before?
- Yes. He was Italy head coach from 2014 to 2016, guiding them to the Euro 2016 quarter-finals before resigning.Source: background
- Why did Conte win the Serie A title with Napoli?
- Conte joined Napoli in 2024 on a three-year deal and won the Scudetto in his first season in May 2025, making him the first manager to win it with three different clubs.Source: background
Background
Antonio Conte led Napoli to the Serie A title in May 2025, becoming the first manager to win the Scudetto with three different clubs (Juventus, Inter Milan and Napoli). He was subsequently nominated for the 2025 Ballon d'Or Men's Coach of the Year. Following Italy's failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup and Gennaro Gattuso's resignation in April 2026, Conte emerged as the FIGC's primary target for the head coach role.
Conte managed Juventus from 2011 to 2014, winning three consecutive Serie A titles, before taking charge of Italy from 2014 to 2016 and reaching the quarter-finals of Euro 2016. He subsequently managed Chelsea, Inter Milan and Tottenham before joining Napoli in 2024. His appointment at Napoli was on a three-year contract to 2027, meaning any move to the national team would require early termination or a significant buyout.
Reports indicate Conte is open to returning to the Azzurri at the end of the current season, though conditions around the new FIGC presidency and the broader governance reform are seen as prerequisites. His combination of elite club success and prior international management experience makes him the most credible candidate in a field that also includes Massimiliano Allegri. The significance of this moment extends beyond one appointment: whoever takes the Italy job will face the task of rebuilding a programme that has now failed to reach three consecutive World Cups.