Italian football legend Andrea Pirlo, manager of United FC — newly promoted to the ADNOC Professional League for the coming season — has described his country's failure to qualify for the World Cup for a third consecutive time as a disaster in every sense of the word. He acknowledged that Italy is paying the price for its decline in recent years, while tipping France to win the 2026 World Cup title. He also shared his views on England's prospects and revealed his future dream of managing a Premier League club.
In an interview with the Daily Mail, Pirlo said that Italy's failure to qualify for the tournament for the third consecutive time represents a major shock for a country with such a distinguished football history. He added: "Unfortunately we are going through a very difficult period, and being absent from three consecutive World Cups is a disaster. But we deserve where we have ended up, and we must now think about the future — qualifying for Euro 2028, and then returning to the World Cup in 2030."
Pirlo's remarks come as the 20th anniversary of Italy's 2006 World Cup triumph in Berlin approaches — a tournament in which he played a pivotal role in the victory over France on penalties, earning the Man of the Match award in the final.
Pirlo believes the race for the world title is currently between France, Spain, and Portugal, with France the favourites, saying: "France have the best chance of winning, but football does not respect predictions, and anything remains possible."
He also praised a number of midfielders he considers to be extensions of his own style, naming Portugal's Vitinha, Spain's Pedri, and the Netherlands' Frenkie de Jong, saying they combine technical quality with the ability to control the tempo of play.
On England's chances of ending their long wait for a World Cup title, Pirlo stressed that having talented players alone is not enough, noting that success requires a blend of physical and mental readiness, cohesion within the squad, and a degree of luck in the knockout rounds. He explained that the team that remains united in camp throughout the month-long tournament is better equipped to handle the pressure and go all the way.
Turning to English football, Pirlo predicted that Brazilian midfielder Éderson would be a success at Manchester United, describing him as a dynamic player with the right qualities to shine in the Premier League. He also praised Arsenal after their Premier League title triumph, saying they deserved the championship thanks to their dominant style of play, and pointing to the partnership of William Saliba and Gabriel as one of the strongest defensive partnerships in the world, alongside the influential contributions of Bukayo Saka, Martin Ødegaard, and Declan Rice.
Pirlo is currently managing United FC, having guided them to promotion to the UAE professional league, but he made no secret of his ambition to work in the Premier League in the future, saying: "Coaching in the Premier League is a dream for every manager. I received offers from English clubs in the past but chose other options. I still believe the Premier League is one of the best competitions in the world, and working there remains a major goal for me."
Pirlo closed the interview in characteristic wry fashion when asked to pick the greatest all-time World Cup XI, saying with a smile: "It is difficult to choose just 11 players, but I am certain I will be one of them."