Paolo Maldini resigns as Italy director after 16 days in post

Paolo Maldini has stepped down from his role as director of Italy’s national setup, resigning just 16 days after his appointment. The development was reported on July 28, 2026, and has been described in coverage as part of an unfolding Italy football crisis 2.0.

Maldini’s short-lived tenure lasted only a matter of weeks before he chose to quit the position he had recently taken. The resignation ends a 16-day spell in office and returns the director’s role to an open status. The abrupt departure has drawn attention because of the rarity of such brief service at that level.

The exact circumstances surrounding Maldini’s decision have not been detailed in the material provided here. What is clear from the timeline is that his announcement came scarcely more than two weeks after his arrival. That fact — a departure so soon after an appointment — is the central element of the story.

Public reaction and internal responses from Italy’s football administration are not included in the available information. No direct quotes from Maldini or officials were supplied in the material at hand. As a result, reporting is confined to the confirmed facts of the appointment period and the resignation itself.

The resignation itself leaves the director’s post vacant pending any subsequent appointment or statement by the federation. The short duration of Maldini’s incumbency will likely feature in any future accounting of the episode. Further details about the reasons for his exit or the next steps have not been provided here.

This development, reported on July 28, 2026, closes a very brief chapter in Maldini’s association with the national setup. The immediate consequence is the absence of a sitting director following his 16-day term.