Roberto Mancini set for Italy coach return after World Cup failure
Roberto Mancini is expected to take Italy's coaching job again after Gennaro Gattuso left following another failed World Cup campaign.
By Lucas Ferreira · Science & Environment Writer
2 min read
Roberto Mancini is set to return as Italy coach for a second spell, Reuters reported Tuesday, citing a person familiar with the matter. The move would bring back the manager who won Euro 2021 with Italy as the national team tries to recover from another failed World Cup qualifying campaign.
Mancini is expected to replace Gennaro Gattuso, who left the job in April, according to Reuters. Gattuso's exit followed a qualifying defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina, which left Italy out of the World Cup for a third straight tournament.
Italy, a four-time world champion, has not qualified for the FIFA World Cup since 2014, according to Reuters. That record has deepened the pressure on the Italian Football Federation as it searches for a way back into major international contention.
Why is Roberto Mancini returning as Italy coach?
Mancini's expected return follows a disrupted coaching search and another qualification setback for Italy. Reuters reported that Italian media said Football Federation President Giovanni Malago announced the appointment during a Federal Council meeting, saying Mancini was the coach.
Mancini, 61, previously managed Italy from 2018 to 2023. During that first spell, he took charge of 58 matches and led the team to the European Championship title in 2021, Reuters reported.
His club career also gives him a long record at elite level. Reuters reported that Mancini has managed Inter Milan, Fiorentina and Manchester City, where he spent three years and led the club to its first Premier League title in the 2011-12 season.
What happened in Italy's coaching search?
The expected appointment comes after other options fell away. Reuters reported that former Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola was the federation's first choice for the national team role but rejected the position earlier this month.
Former FIGC technical director Paolo Maldini and adviser Leonardo resigned from their roles on Monday, according to Reuters. Their preferred candidate for the Italy job was Andrea Pirlo, but his appointment was blocked because of his links to a Russian betting company, Reuters reported.
The coaching change leaves Mancini with the task of rebuilding a team whose recent World Cup record contrasts sharply with its history. Italy has won the tournament four times, but its absence from the competition since 2014 has become the central issue around the national side.
Mancini's previous tenure ended in 2023, two years after the European Championship win. Reuters did not report the length of his expected new deal or when the federation would make a formal public announcement.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.