By Adegboyega Adeleye
Italy’s football federation has elected Giovanni Malago as its new president following the country’s failure to qualify for a third consecutive FIFA World Cup, with the former Olympic chief tasked with leading the four-time world champions out of one of the deepest crises in their history.
Malago was elected president of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) on Monday, defeating Giancarlo Abete with 68.58 per cent of the vote at the federation’s assembly in Rome.
The 67-year-old businessman and former futsal player succeeds Gabriele Gravina, who resigned after Italy’s shock World Cup qualifying exit in April, a result that extended the Azzurri’s unprecedented absence from football’s biggest tournament.
Italy, champions in 1934, 1938, 1982 and 2006, have now failed to qualify for three consecutive World Cups, raising fresh concerns about the state of the national team and the country’s player development system.
