Mancini back as head coach of Italy’s national team

Roberto Mancini has been appointed as Italy’s head coach for a second spell, with the task of rebuilding the national team after the Azzurri failed to qualify for the last three FIFA World Cups.

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The announcement was made on Tuesday, July 28, by Italian football federation (FIGC) president Giovanni Malago, who also confirmed that Claudio Ranieri has replaced Paolo Maldini as the national team’s technical director. “Today we have a new coach and a new technical director,” Malago told reporters, adding that Mancini and Ranieri would be officially presented at a press conference on Wednesday, July 29.

“I felt that the person who should be and become the Italian national football team’s head coach was Roberto Mancini, for a whole series of considerations for which, as always, I honestly take responsibility.” Mancini succeeds Gennaro Gattuso, who resigned following Italy’s World Cup qualification play-off final defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina in March.

The 61-year-old previously managed Italy between 2018 and 2023, guiding the Azzurri to victory at Euro 2020 and overseeing a 37-match unbeaten run. He was reportedly preferred ahead of former Italy coach Antonio Conte, while Andrea Pirlo, who had also been linked with the role, announced on Monday that he was no longer a candidate.

Reports had suggested former technical director Paolo Maldini threatened to resign if either Mancini or Conte was appointed, favouring former Italy midfielder Thiago Motta instead. Ranieri has now taken over the technical director role.

Mancini’s first game back in charge will be a UEFA Nations League fixture against Belgium on September 25 in a group that also includes Turkey and France.

“The new coach will have two training sessions to prepare for the first game,” Malago said. “Since Italy lost the play-off to Bosnia, I don’t think we gave passports to Lamine Yamal, (Kylian) Mbappe and (Harry) Kane… So are we being serious here?

“(We) must try to do the best with what we have, also safeguard our European ranking in a group against teams that were all at the World Cup, Turkey, Belgium and France. If you want to be objective and serious, finishing fourth in that group is logical.”

Mancini’s return has divided opinion following his abrupt resignation as Italy coach in 2023 to take charge of Saudi Arabia, a move that reportedly damaged his relationship with senior FIGC officials while Italy were battling to qualify for Euro 2024.

He left the Saudi national team after 14 months before joining Qatari club Al-Sadd on a two-year contract last November. Now back in charge of the Azzurri, Mancini will look to restore Italy’s status among football’s elite.

The four-time world champions have not appeared at a World Cup since 2014 and have not reached the knockout stage of the tournament since lifting the trophy in 2006. Their only major success since then came with the Euro 2020 triumph under Mancini, while their title defence under Luciano Spalletti ended in a last-16 defeat to Switzerland at Euro 2024.

At club level, Mancini won three consecutive Serie A titles with Inter Milan between 2005 and 2008 before leading Manchester City to their first English league title since 1968 with the dramatic final-day Premier League triumph in the 2011-12 season.