Roberto Mancini has officially returned to the Italy national team as head coach, beginning a second stint with the Azzurri as the country looks to recover from a difficult period that has seen it miss qualification for three straight FIFA World Cups.
The announcement was made on Tuesday by FIGC president Giovanni Malago, who also revealed that former Italy captain Claudio Ranieri will take over as technical director following the exit of Paolo Maldini.
“Today we have a new coach and a new technical director,” Malago told reporters. “I felt that the person who should be and become the Italian national football team’s head coach was Roberto Mancini.”
Mancini takes over from Gennaro Gattuso, who resigned after Italy’s loss to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the World Cup qualifying play-off final in March.
The 61-year-old is no stranger to the role, having managed Italy from 2018 to 2023. During that period, he guided the national team to Euro 2020 glory and led them on a historic 37-match unbeaten run.
His second spell in charge will begin with Italy’s UEFA Nations League campaign, where the Azzurri will face Belgium on September 25 in a group that also includes France and Turkey.
Malago acknowledged the difficult task ahead but called for patience, pointing out that Mancini will have only two training sessions before his opening match.
“The new coach will have two training sessions to prepare for the first game,” he said, while rejecting claims that Mancini should be judged solely on the outcome of the Nations League campaign.
While many fans have welcomed his return, the appointment has also sparked debate. Mancini’s departure in 2023 to become Saudi Arabia’s national team coach reportedly created tension with senior FIGC officials, particularly because it came during Italy’s Euro 2024 qualification campaign.
