The Italian national team will get a fresh start with Roberto Mancini’s return to the bench. Giovanni Malago, president of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), announced Mancini’s appointment as the new national team coach during a press conference on Tuesday, as part of a restructuring that also includes the arrival of Claudio Ranieri as sporting director.
Ranieri will take over the position vacated by Paolo Maldini, who resigned just 15 days after being named to the Italian national team’s staff.
The announcement was made during the FIGC’s Federal Council meeting, attended by 16 members, including representatives from Serie A, Serie B, Serie C, the National Amateur League, the Players’ Association, and the Coaches’ Association.
Mancini’s return marks a new opportunity at the helm of the “Azzurri,” a team he previously managed from 2018 to 2023. His previous tenure was marked by elimination in the qualifying playoffs for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, following a loss to North Macedonia—a result that left Italy out of the World Cup.
Before returning to the Italian national team, Mancini enjoyed a distinguished career on the European coaching scene. He began his coaching career with Fiorentina, where he won a Coppa Italia, and later managed Lazio.
His most successful period came with Inter Milan, with whom he won three consecutive Serie A titles between 2006 and 2008, in addition to seven trophies in total with the “Nerazzurri.”
He later managed Manchester City, Galatasaray, and Zenit St. Petersburg before taking the helm of the Italian national team for the first time in 2018. After leaving the national team in 2023, he accepted an offer to coach the Saudi Arabian national team, until his return was now finalized to lead the Italian squad’s new project.
