Italy turns to Mancini again: Federation wants to lead national team out of crisis with familiar face

From European champion to defector: Mancini's first tenure

Mancini was already Italy's national team coach from 2018 to 2023. In 2021, he led the Squadra Azzurra to the European Championship title in London. Mancini then failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup, before surprisingly switching in August 2023 — despite a running contract as Italy coach — to become team boss in Saudi Arabia. In the weeks before his departure from Rome, Mancini allegedly called an advisor to the then-federation president on his final day in Italy and then publicly announced, without consultation, that he was leaving the federation.

In Saudi Arabia, however, Mancini lasted only 14 months. Due to a disappointing sporting record, Mancini and the Saudi federation mutually ended their collaboration in October 2024. He then moved — certainly also for good money — to Qatar to coach club side Al-Sadd. In Qatar, Mancini most recently won at least the domestic league title with Al-Sadd; his contract there ran from November 2025 to June 2026. What Mancini planned next was not entirely clear. According to consistent media reports, his Saudi contract had been a four-year deal with an estimated volume of 25 million euros per season.

Nearly four months of vacancy and a disastrous end to qualifying

The path to his new role in Italy was also rocky from a domestic perspective. The federation had needed to fill the national team coach position since the beginning of April. At that time, the previous coach, Gennaro Gattuso, had to step down after the four-time world champion failed to qualify for the World Cup against Bosnia and Herzegovina. The search lasted nearly four months; other names such as Thiago Motta, Giorgio Chiellini — who said he was happy in his role at FC Turin — or Gianluigi Buffon were at least discussed on the periphery, but did not make it.

During the lengthy search, the federation ground itself down. Following the preliminary end of the Pirlo candidacy, the sporting directors Paolo Maldini and Leonardo — appointed only about two weeks earlier — resigned. Both gave up their posts after just 16 days in office. Malagò, who had taken over as federation president at the end of June 2025 and came under pressure over the coaching question, faced increasing public criticism; Italy's Sports Minister Andrea Abodi accused him of cutting an "unsightly figure" ("unschöne Figur"). Malagò fired back with the remark that "not everyone can judge the mistakes of others" ("nicht jeder könne über Fehler anderer urteilen").

Federation crisis: resignations, conflict, ministerial criticism

On Tuesday, Malagò defended the choice of Mancini at length: "Italy must be refounded" ("Italien muss neu gegründet werden"), the Gazzetta dello Sport had headlined beforehand — a demand directed straight at the federation's leadership. At a press conference, Malagò defended the decision on Tuesday afternoon. Not everything is yet fully settled, however. In fact: nothing has been signed yet, the federation itself cautioned; the contract still has to be formally signed.

Alongside Mancini, former AS Roma coach Claudio Ranieri, 74, is now set to become the new Technical Director. Ranieri succeeds Maldini and Leonardo and stepped down from his role at Roma in the spring, a position he had held until 2025. Ranieri once sensationally won the English Premier League with Leicester City. Claudio Ranieri is also expected to help with the rebuilding of the Italian team.

Ranieri as Technical Director: the second man at Mancini's side

The sporting benchmark for Mancini is clear: Italy has missed three consecutive World Cup finals and failed in the most recent qualification against Bosnia and Herzegovina. Mancini's sporting record with the Saudi federation, with seven wins in 18 matches, leaves room for improvement. Whether he can revitalize the dusty Italian apparatus is considered an open question in the Italian public.

According to the federation, Mancini's first match in his second tenure is scheduled for September 25 in the Nations League against Belgium. By then, Mancini must shape the team, in parallel with his new dual role as coach and team architect in Rome. A comparison with the neighboring federation is hard to resist: in Germany, Jürgen Klopp looks after the national team and enjoys broad backing from the DFB.

First acid test against Belgium

As a player, Mancini played in the 1980s and 1990s for Bologna, Sampdoria Genoa and Lazio Rome, and later, as an active player, for English club Leicester City. As a coach, he celebrated domestic league titles with Inter Milan and Manchester City. As a player, he also won two European club trophies and six Italian Cups, among other honors.

The story of a return paints the picture of a federation in turmoil. The Italian Football Federation is regarded as politically divided, with coaching changes flanked by tabloid headlines and online commentary. Mancini must bridge this divide if he is to lead the team back to a major tournament in 2030.

Mancini's career stations as player and coach

Observers see the immediate aftermath of the personnel decisions as a litmus test. If Mancini does not take charge again within a year, or if Ranieri fails to assert himself as the power broker in the background, the debate over the federation is likely to pick up speed again. The federation needs results, and it needs them fast.