Roberto Mancini is the new head coach of Italy again. The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) made it official Monday, with president Giovanni Malagò confirming the decision during a federal council meeting. It’s a return that comes way faster than anyone expected — just a few days after a total breakdown between the federation and the Maldini-Leonardo duo over Andrea Pirlo’s failed appointment.
The news was first reported by Corriere dello Sport and Fabrizio Romano. Malagò is also expected to name Claudio Ranieri as technical director soon. So Italy’s national team structure is basically getting rebuilt from scratch in a matter of days.
Why Mancini Again?
Mancini knows this job. He ran the Azzurri from 2018 to 2023, famously winning Euro 2020 and then missing out on the 2022 World Cup — which still stings for Italian fans. But after the Pirlo thing fell apart, the federation needed a Plan B fast. And Plan B was the guy who had already done it before.
The timing isn’t ideal. Italy’s schedule is brutal right out of the gate. At the end of September, they play three matches in a row: Belgium, Turkey, and France. That’s a gauntlet for any manager, let alone one who’s basically walking back into a burning building.
Staff Changes? Not Clear Yet
Right now, nobody knows if Mancini will bring back his old coaching staff or shake things up. The whole setup with Ranieri as technical director is still being figured out. Expect more details in the coming days, according to federation sources.
One thing’s for sure: Mancini doesn’t have time to ease into this. Italy needs results, and they need them now. The France and Belgium games alone will tell us a lot about whether this reunion actually works or if it’s just a quick patch job.
For a federation that spent the last week looking like it couldn’t get out of its own way, this move at least gives them a known commodity. Whether that’s enough remains to be seen.
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