Mancini RETURNS to Save the National Team

Roberto Mancini is back as head coach of Italy’s national football team after a tough selection process, the Italian Football Federation announced.

FIGC president Giovanni Malago revealed the decision following a meeting of the federation’s leadership in Rome. Mancini and Claudio Ranieri, who was appointed as the new technical director, will be formally presented at a press conference on Wednesday.

Mancini, 61, previously managed the Azzurri from 2018 to 2023, leading them to victory at Euro 2021. His departure last year to coach Saudi Arabia, reportedly for a huge salary, caused some hostility towards him in Italy. He spent just one year in that role. Mancini has a strong track record, having won three Serie A titles with Inter Milan, the Premier League with Manchester City, and the Qatari league with his last club, Al-Sadd.

Ranieri, famous for leading Leicester City to their shock Premier League title in 2016, was most recently in charge of Roma.

Mancini’s first matches back will be four Nations League games between September 25 and early October against France, Belgium, and Turkey (twice).

The coaching appointment wasn’t straightforward. Carlo Ancelotti and Pep Guardiola both declined the job, while Andrea Pirlo was rejected due to ties with a Russian bookmaker.

Malago also confirmed he opposed naming 2006 World Cup winner Andrea Pirlo as coach. The Pirlo episode led to the resignations of technical director Paolo Maldini and his advisor Leonardo after just over two weeks in their posts.

Italy’s 2006 World Cup triumph marked their fourth world title, but the team failed to qualify for the last three major tournaments. The most recent failure in March triggered the resignations of coach Gennaro Gattuso, FIGC president Gabriele Gravina, and team coordinator Gianluigi Buffon.

Malago, former president of the Italian Olympic Committee and chief organizer of the Milan/Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, was elected president of the FIGC in June.