Roberto Mancini, 61, is the new coach of the Italian national team. The president of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), Giovanni Malagò, announced the choice this Tuesday (28), at a meeting of the entity's federal council, in Rome.
The coach returns to the helm of Azzurra Three years after leaving the position, he takes over the team during the biggest crisis in its history, following its third consecutive absence from the World Cup. Claudio Ranieri, 74, is expected to be confirmed as the national team's technical director.
turbulent process
Mancini's appointment ends the erratic search for a new manager. Italy had been without a permanent coach since March, when the FIGC dismissed him. Gennaro Gattuso In the wake of their defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the European play-offs for the 2026 World Cup.
Elected in June, Malagò appointed former defender Paolo Maldini. and the former Brazilian midfielder Leonardo to conduct the process. The two resigned on Monday (27), after the failure to sign Andrea Pirlo.
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Pirlo, the current coach of Dubai United, was the duo's favorite after Carlo Ancelotti and Pep Guardiola declined the offer. Malagò, however, vetoed the former star's name because of a... sponsorship agreement with a Russian betting company, a partnership that has become the target of criticism in Italy, especially in political circles.
Maldini and Leonardo did not look favorably upon Mancini's return and advocated for a more profound overhaul of the team's coaching staff.
From the glory of 2021 to the trauma of 2022
Mancini, currently without a club, managed Italy between 2018 and 2023. During that period, he won the unexpected title of the 2021 European Championship, but also suffered a home defeat to North Macedonia in the playoffs for the 2022 World Cup.
The coach has previously managed Fiorentina, Lazio, Inter Milan, Manchester City, Galatasaray, Zenit, the Saudi Arabia national team, and Al-Sadd. His resume includes three Serie A titles, one Premier League title, four Italian Cups, two Italian Super Cups, one FA Cup, one Community Shield, and one Turkish Cup.
The Azzurra crisis
Italy, four-time world champions, have not competed in a World Cup since 2014. The national team has been absent from the last three editions of the tournament: they were eliminated in the European play-offs by North Macedonia in the 2022 cycle and by Bosnia and Herzegovina in the 2026 cycle. This series of eliminations triggered the biggest crisis in the history of Italian football and a succession of changes in managers and coaches.
