Italy is looking for a new football team boss! The Italian FA announced on Sunday that Roberto Mancini has resigned as coach. The team boss surprisingly submitted his resignation on Saturday evening after five years. Mancini leads Italy to the European title in 2021. The Azzurri celebrated their greatest success after winning the 2006 World Cup. According to the association, a successor will be appointed in the next few days.
No reason was given for Mancini’s unexpected return. Under Mancini, Italy narrowly missed out on participation in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, but recently reached the final tournament of the Nations League, where the Squadra Azzurra finished third after a semi-final loss to Spain in June. In the 2024 European Championship qualifiers, Italy are third in Group C with three points from two matches. Games against North Macedonia and Ukraine are already scheduled for September.
Mancini followed in 2018 as interim coach Luigi Di Baggio, who took over from Gian Piero Ventura after he missed the 2018 World Cup. Led by Mancini (58), the Azzurri impressed with fiery football and team spirit at the 2021 European Championship, going 37 consecutive games unbeaten. Recently, former Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon was appointed as the head of the national team delegation after he retired. He replaced Mancini’s confidant Gianluca Vialli, who died of cancer earlier this year.
