Published: 12:06 EDT, 22 April 2024 | Updated: 12:06 EDT, 22 April 2024

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]]]]>]]>Italy World Cup winner Fabio Cannavaro has landed his first ever managerial job in Serie A, the league he won twice as a player with Juventus.

Cannavaro, who was sacked by Benevento in February 2023, has been away from the dugout for over a year but is set to return after being appointed Udinese manager on Monday.

Udinese are floating precariously above the Serie A relegation zone in 17th, level on points with Frosinone below them, and have turned to Cannavaro after sacking fellow Italian manager Gabriele Cioffi this week.

The 50-year-old manager will take charge of Udinese for the first time against Bologna on Sunday before hosting his boyhood club Napoli the following weekend.

Cannavaro is one of the greatest stars in history to come out of Napoli's academy, widely regarded as one of Italy's best ever defenders.

Italy World Cup winner Fabio Cannavaro has landed his first ever managerial job in Serie A

The former Italy captain steered his country to glory at the 2006 World Cup and won the Ballon D'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year for his remarkable achievements that calendar year.

After claiming two Serie A titles with Juventus, Cannavaro moved to Real Madrid in the summer of 2006 and went on to win successive LaLiga titles, establishing himself as one of the all-time greats.

Since his retirement in 2011, the Naples-born star has taken on multiple managerial jobs including a one-year spell at Saudi Arabian outfit Al-Nassr (2015-16) and four-year stint with Chinese side Guangzhou (2017-2021).

Cannavaro was appointed manager of the China national team in March 2019 and stood down from his role the following month to focus on his role at Guangzhou.