The Italian Football Federation has officially appointed Roberto Mancini as the new manager of the Nazionale. Three years after leaving the position, the 61-year-old returns to the bench of the Italian national team, which he previously managed between 2018 and 2023. The announcement was made during the Italian Federation's Federal Council meeting and was officially confirmed later that day. Claudio Ranieri is also expected to join the club's management team as technical director.
An unexpected return after a series of twists and turns
This decision comes after several particularly turbulent days for Italian football. Following the departure of the previous national team coach, Andrea Pirlo had emerged as the frontrunner to take the reins of the Azzurri. His candidacy was ultimately withdrawn after a heated controversy surrounding his ties to a sports betting sponsor. Faced with this situation, the Federation abandoned this option, triggering a new internal crisis. In the aftermath, Paolo Maldini, appointed technical director of the FIGC just a few weeks earlier, submitted his resignation, as did his advisor Leonardo, further exacerbating the instability within the organization.
The return of the coach who led them to victory at the Euros
By recalling Roberto Mancini, the Federation is opting for experience. Having first arrived in 2018, the former Manchester City and Inter Milan manager had thoroughly rebuilt the Italian national team after their failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup. His work was rewarded with Italy's victory at Euro 2021, defeating England at Wembley after a penalty shootout. Under his leadership, the Azzurri also set a record unbeaten run of 37 matches. His first stint, however, ended in 2023 when he left his post to become the manager of Saudi Arabia.
A reconstruction mission
By choosing to recall Roberto Mancini, the FIGC is placing its bets on a man who knows the national team environment and much of its inner workings perfectly. His main mission will now be to restore stability to a team weakened by recent events and to revive a sporting project that has experienced several setbacks in just a few days. With this return, the Federation hopes to quickly close this period of uncertainty and allow the Nazionale to refocus on its sporting objectives.
