The Italian Football Federation has endured a dramatic week. Andrea Pirlo could not take the head coach role, while Pep Guardiola turned down the opportunity. Paolo Maldini also resigned.
Now, Roberto Mancini has returned as Italy’s head coach.
The former Manchester City manager previously guided Italy to Euro 2020 glory. However, can he now rebuild the Azzurri and restore pride in Italian football?
Sports News Blitz writer Luca Salmasi examines Mancini’s return and whether the FIGC have made the right decision.
Back to what works
Italy have endured two difficult managerial spells since Mancini left the national team.
Luciano Spalletti took charge during Euro 2024. Italy barely survived the group stage before Switzerland eliminated them in Berlin.
Spalletti later left after Italy struggled during World Cup qualification.
Gennaro Gattuso then replaced him. However, his time in charge failed to deliver the improvement Italy needed.
Gattuso led Italy back into the World Cup play-offs for a third consecutive time. The Azzurri then lost to Bosnia and Herzegovina on penalties.
Mancini offers the FIGC a familiar option.
Only Marcello Lippi and Mancini have guided Italy to major international success this century. Both managers know how to handle the pressure of tournament football.
Mancini also understands what Italy need to compete at the highest level.
His Euro 2020 team used a tactical system that brought strong performances from most of the squad. Italy also played with a clear sense of unity throughout the tournament.
For the FIGC, Mancini represents a manager who already knows how to win with Italy.
No major change
The FIGC expected significant changes after Italy failed to qualify for another World Cup.
Mancini’s return, however, does not guarantee that transformation.
He could still deliver a solid spell in charge. Yet his appointment does not represent the major structural change that Italian football may need.
The Azzurri currently face serious problems. The team has struggled to establish a clear identity and maintain consistent performances.
Mancini brings experience and some immediate positivity. However, the FIGC could have chosen a manager who offered a completely different approach.
The challenge now goes beyond simply improving results.
Italy need a long-term plan that can improve the national team and the wider football system.
Fans haven’t forgotten his Saudi exit
Mancini appeared set for a long spell with Italy after his Euro 2020 success.
Instead, he left the national team before Italy attempted to defend their European title. He then accepted the role of Saudi Arabia head coach.
Mancini said disagreements over coaching staff changes with former FIGC president Gabriele Gravina influenced his decision.
His departure triggered strong criticism from Italian supporters and the media.
The timing created even more frustration. Italy faced important Euro 2024 qualifiers, and Mancini left just before those matches.
His Saudi Arabia spell also failed to produce the expected results.
Despite the lucrative contract, Mancini managed only seven wins in 18 games. Saudi Arabia eventually parted ways with him in October 2024.
That history means Italian supporters may take time to fully accept his return.
A return to familiarity
Mancini remained a natural candidate for the FIGC because of his previous success.
He guided Italy to European Championship glory in 2021. That achievement remains one of the strongest recent memories for Azzurri supporters.
The relationship between Mancini and the FIGC also remained relatively close after his departure.
New president Giovanni Malago has also supported Mancini over the years.
Those connections helped make his return a straightforward option for the federation.
However, familiarity alone cannot solve Italy’s wider problems.
Mancini must now prove that his second spell can produce the same level of success as his first.
A nation stuck in the past
Mancini and the FIGC have a lot more to do than just revive the national team; they also need to reform the system in Italy as a whole, to ensure that it clearly filters down from the top.
Italy’s biggest flaw is its lack of identity, which sets it apart from other successful footballing nations and constantly holds it back, as it more often than not fails to control games when needed, with the Bosnia game a benign example of that.
The lack of risk-taking is clear to see, and whilst that may have previously worked, it’s completely outdated.
This also mirrors many appointments at club level, as Serie A is often criticised for recycling the same managers and are often reluctant to embrace changes, with issues that run deeper than whoever is in the dugout.
READ NEXT: Team captains and ticket details confirmed for padel’s first Clash of the Coaches
