Coverciano crowns new UEFA Pro coaches, including Ribery and Diamanti.

Turin – The FIGC's Technical Sector has officially released the list of new UEFA Pro coaches, certified after passing the final exams at the Coverciano Masters. This is the highest qualification available to a football coach: those who earn it can lead any team at the European level, including those competing in the major leagues and continental competitions.

A year of study between classroom and field

The training program lasted an entire season, from September to June, alternating theoretical and practical lessons at the Federal Technical Center with five on-the-field training sessions at top clubs. In addition to the Italian stages—Como, AC Milan, Cagliari, and Genoa—the students also visited Racing Santander in Spain, broadening their horizons beyond the national borders.

The program included oral exams in four key subjects: football technique and tactics, athletic training, psychology, and communication. To complete the program, each student had to write and defend a final thesis before the examining commission.

Three students with top marks

Of all the participants, three stood out, achieving a score of 110 out of 110: Andrea Chiappella, current coach of Virtus Entella; Francesco Magnanelli, assistant to Massimiliano Allegri at Napoli; and Alexandre Nizelik, former right-hand man to Luciano Spalletti at Zenit St. Petersburg and, for the last two years, at Fiorentina. The committee also highlighted Nizelik's final thesis as particularly commendable.

Ribery, Diamanti and other famous faces

The group of newly qualified graduates includes several names known to the general public primarily for their football careers. Franck Ribery earned his license by presenting a thesis on the concept of "allure" in contemporary football, a work that intertwines tradition and tactical innovation [web:2]. Among his fellow graduates are Samir Handanovic and Alessandro Diamanti, now personally in charge of Cesena.

The Master's program also qualified coaches who had already attended a previous course and who have now taken the final exams: among them Aleksandar Kolarov, assistant coach of Inter Milan, Guido Pagliuca, coach of Empoli, Renato Baldi, match analyst for the national team led by coach Roberto Mancini, and Matteo Barella, technical assistant of the Under-17 national team.

The complete list of qualified persons

Here are all the names officially announced by the Technical Sector: Matteo Andreoletti, Renato Baldi, Matteo Barella, Simone Bentivoglio, Matteo Cecchetti, Andrea Chiappella, Cristiano Del Grosso, Vikash Dhorasoo, Alessandro Diamanti, Samir Handanovic, Cosimo Inguscio, Aleksandar Kolarov, Francesco Magnanelli, Alexandre Nizelik, Guido Pagliuca, Franck Ribery, Mattia Scala, Andrea Tedesco and Roberto Vitiello.