Wednesday, July 29, 2026 -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
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.
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