Three coaches, a field referee with his assistants, a varist and a series of specialists included in different staffs: here are the traces of blue that remain in the world championship which we witness from afar.
Three coaches, a field referee with assistants and varist and a patrol of specialists spread across various staffs of the national teams at the start of the 2026 World Cup. Here are the traces of Italy in the world championship that sees us forced for the third time in a row to watch from afar. It’s not enough to make the melancholy go away, but it’s all we have and we have to make do with it. For over a month and as long as they remain in the running, they will be the only splashes of blue in the most important showcase of world football, a way to remind everyone that we exist and in some cases we can also continue to teach others the trade.
Who are the Italian coaches at the World Cup
In the front row there are the three coaches or selectors who come from Italy and have earned qualification for the tournament on the field: Carlo AncelottiVincenzo Montella and Fabio Cannavaro. The most prominent name is clearly that of Ancelotti, collector of trophies and Champions League in Europe, a man of records who wanted to give himself the ultimate challenge by taking on the most fascinating national team of the lot. Not just an image operation, since Brazil, historically rich in talent, has not won the World Cup since 2002, a period of almost a quarter of a century long which is unbearable for the habits of the Seleçao. It already happened between 1970, Pelé’s last pearl, and 1994, sadly known to us for the Pasadena final lost on penalties against Taffaril.
Around Rio de Janeiro they expect to be able to rejoice again and for this reason they called Ancelotti without sparing any expense, asking him to relaunch a national team that no longer has the pool of young people and talent behind it of the past. Brazil does not start as favourites, but beware of putting them out of the mix for those who will fight to the end: Vinicius jr and Rapinha are the most prominent men even if King Charles has winked at the will of the people, also bringing with him everyone’s idol Neymar.
Türkiye and Uzbekistan are not setting out to win, obviously. Vincenzo Montella he is now perfectly integrated into Turkish football and leads a national team in which there is no shortage of talent: Calhanoglu, Guler, Yildiz and Kochu just to name it. Objective? Get through the first phase and enter the sixteen beautiful ones, then we’ll see. The path he can plan and dream is different Fabio Cannavarohero of Italy’s World Cup in 2006 and Ballon d’Or winner of that fantastic summer. He arrived on the Uzbekistan bench when qualification had already been achieved and guaranteed that he was ready for great experience after his apprenticeship spent in China, the United Arab Emirates, Benevento, Udine and Zagreb. The center back Kushanov is the star while the center forward and captain of the team is Shomurodov, already seen in Serie A.
The Italian referees at the World Cup and all the others
On the field, some representatives of the AIA also earned the call of the head of FIFA referees, Pierluigi Collina. Who are they? The most prominent one is Maurizio Marianifield referee who is part of the list of 52 selected to referee matches in the United States, Canada and Mexico: born in 1982, at the last great appointment of a career that has seen him on the field 430 times so far. This season he was designated for the Conference League final won by Crystal Palace against Rayo Vallecano.
With him in the States there is Marco Di Bello, who is in Dallas and will work at the FIFA VAR center with an immediate call for the inaugural match between Mexico and South Africa. And the assistants are also ready to take the field Alberto Tegoni And Daniele Bindonithe best that the Italian arbitration sector can offer.
Last but not least, here are the technicians who are part of the staff of various national teams such as Gianni Viodead ball specialist and technical collaborator of the USA, Mario Pafundi And Yuri Annichiaricophysiotherapists from Norway and France respectively, Antonio Gagliardiassistant coach of Iran, the trainers included in the Algeria staff Guido Nanni (trains goalkeepers) e Paolo Rongoni (fitness area) and that of Qatar as Fabio Massimo Francioni.
