Roberto Mancini has been appointed as the manager of Italy for a second time, following the departure of Andrea Pirlo from consideration for the role and the resignation of technical director Paolo Maldini. The announcement was made by Italian Football Federation (FIGC) president Giovanni Malago, who stated his belief that Mancini was the best candidate for the head coach position.
Mancini, who is 61, previously managed the national team from 2018 to 2023. During his initial tenure, he led Italy to victory in Euro 2020, where they defeated England in the final at Wembley. Under his leadership, the Azzurri also achieved a record 37-game unbeaten run. However, his previous spell concluded after the team failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup, losing to North Macedonia in a play-off, leading to his resignation in August 2023.
The managerial change comes after Gennaro Gattuso left his position as Italy boss in April. His departure followed the Azzurri’s failure to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup, with their contract terminated by mutual consent. This meant Italy was absent from this summer’s tournament. Under-21 manager Silvio Baldini had temporarily taken charge after Gattuso’s exit.
Prior to Mancini’s re-appointment, Andrea Pirlo had been considered a frontrunner for the role but withdrew his candidacy on Monday. His decision followed controversy surrounding his connections to a Russian betting company. The FIGC had also approached both Pep Guardiola and Carlo Ancelotti regarding the Italy job before Pirlo was considered. Guardiola, a former manager of Manchester City, turned down the offer last month.
In addition to Mancini’s return, Claudio Ranieri has been named the new technical director, replacing Paolo Maldini. Maldini, who had been appointed to the role two weeks prior, and adviser Leonardo, resigned on Monday. Their resignations followed the decision not to appoint Pirlo as head coach. Malago indicated that he sought a technical director with whom he could share the decision-making process regarding the coach.
Ranieri, who is 74, is known for leading Leicester City to the Premier League title in 2015-16. In his new capacity, he will oversee technical operations and the development of elite football across Italy’s national team structures. His appointment ensures that both a new coach and a new technical director are now in place for Italy.
Mancini’s club management career includes leading Manchester City to their first Premier League title in 2012. He also achieved success with Lazio and Inter Milan, winning the Coppa Italia with both clubs and securing three Serie A titles with Inter. His career also saw him manage Galatasaray and Zenit St Petersburg before his first stint with Italy in 2018.
After his initial departure from the Azzurri, Mancini had a brief spell with the Saudi Arabia national team before joining Qatari side Al Sadd. While with Al Sadd, the team won the Qatar Stars League. However, they did not reach the final four of the AFC Champions League Elite and were defeated in the Qatar Cup final. Mancini left his role with Al Sadd in June.
Despite past successes on major stages, Italy has not participated in a World Cup finals since 2014. The team is scheduled to commence their Nations League campaign on 25 September, playing at home against Belgium before travelling to face Turkey three days later.
Source: bbc.com
