Mancini Returns to Italy Dugout After World Cup Failure

The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) has appointed Roberto Mancini for a second spell as head coach of the national team, tasking the Euro 2020-winning manager with rebuilding the Azzurri after a third consecutive World Cup qualification failure. Claudio Ranieri, the veteran Italian coach famous for Leicester City's 2016 Premier League triumph, will join the federation as technical director, replacing Paolo Maldini.

Mancini, 61, replaces Gennaro Gattuso, who resigned in April after a qualifying defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina confirmed Italy's absence from the 2026 World Cup. FIGC President Giovanni Malago confirmed both appointments during a Federal Council meeting and press conference, saying: "I believed that the best person to become head coach was Roberto Mancini."

Mancini's first stint from 2018 to 2021 produced a European Championship title and a long unbeaten run, transforming a side that had missed the 2018 World Cup. He now returns under pressure to engineer a similar revival.

Why the FIGC Turned Back to Mancini and Installed Ranieri

The FIGC originally pursued Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, who rejected the job earlier this month. Another leading candidate, Andrea Pirlo, was blocked because of his links to a Russian betting company, a commercial tie that would have raised regulatory issues. The disagreement over Pirlo contributed to the resignations of technical director Paolo Maldini and adviser Leonardo on Monday.

By turning to Mancini, the federation opted for a proven figure intimately familiar with the squad. The simultaneous appointment of Ranieri as technical director signals a broader restructuring: the 74-year-old will oversee elite development and technical operations across all national teams, not just the senior side. His vast club management experience, including the Leicester City fairy tale, brings a strategic layer that the federation lacked in recent years.