Roberto Mancini confirmed as new Italy boss – three years after resigning

Italy have named Roberto Mancini as their new manager just three years after he stepped down from the role.

Mancini begins his second spell in charge of his nation following a five-year tenure from 2018 through to 2023.

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He led Italy to glory at the delayed Euro 2020 tournament, with his side beating Gareth Southgate‘s England on penalties at Wembley.

However, the former Manchester City manager also failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup during his first stint as boss.

In total, Mancini took charge of 58 games with Italy – winning 38 matches and losing on just eight occasions.

Italy’s main Man

Now, he returns – having been revealed by talkSPORT as a candidate in April – replacing Genaro Gattuso, who departed after his side missed out on the World Cup too.

Pep Guardiola was the first choice to take over from Gattuso, but he turned an approach down, opening the door for Mancini.

But the 61-year-old’s appointment comes amid controversy within the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), which led to two resignations.

Italian icon Paolo Maldini quit his role as technical director alongside his advisor Leonardo after Andrea Pirlo was removed from the running to become the country’s new manager.

Pirlo looked set to replace Gattuso, but due to his connection to a Russian betting company, the federation’s president, Giovanni Malago, didn’t want to appoint him.

That angered Maldini, who has now stepped down, with Malago going on to appoint Mancini instead of Pirlo.

He confirmed on Tuesday: “Mancini is the coach. I believed that the best person ​to become head coach was Roberto Mancini.”

AFP

Why did Mancini resign in 2023?

Mancini resigned as Italy manager following a disagreement with the ex-FIGC president, Gabriele Gravina.

He did go on to thank Gravina in his leaving statement, which explained that his decision to leave his job was his own.

But the Premier League-winning boss eventually ended up revealing more details when speaking to an Italian newspaper.

Mancini said to La Repubblica: “Gravina had been trying for a year to revolutionise my staff. I tried to tell him that at most he could add a couple of new faces, but he couldn’t take away two members of a group that works and had won.

“If anything, it should be me who decides to substitute a member of my staff.

“Gravina had for a while thought about things very differently from me. I was massacred purely for my decision. I wanted to send a signal to the President, he could’ve helped me if he had wanted to.”

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Maldini replacement

As well as appointing Mancini, Italy have also replaced Maldini following his resignation as technical director.

Legendary Italian manager Claudio Ranieri has been handed the role, with Malago explaining his decision to bring him in.

“I needed someone with whom I could share the decision on the coach, because without that shared view my reasoning would ⁠have ​carried little weight,” the FIGC president said.

“So consequently, today we have ​a new coach and a new technical director for Italy.”

Ranieri’s last managerial role was with Roma in Serie A in 2025, with the 74-year-old now taking a behind-the-scenes position.

Italy’s first fixture with their new, experienced faces involved will be on September 25 as they face Turkey in the Nations League.