Roberto Mancini began his second reign as Italy manager by pleading for forgiveness for his previous switch to Saudi Arabia as he vowed to bring about the country’s return to football’s top table.
Italy have missed the last three World Cups and failed to win a major trophy since lifting the Euro 2020 title under his leadership.
Mancini previously managed Italy from 2018 to 2023, during which Italy enjoyed a three-year unbeaten run of 37 games, a record that Spain surpassed this year.
That came to an end when he made the surprise decision to leave in 2023 for the Saudi Arabia setup, just days after being given additional responsibilities for the Italian Under-21 and Under-20 teams.
Mancini says he is conscious that he needs to win back the hearts of the fans and started that process by immediately setting his sights on silverware.
“We signed a four-year contract, and I hope I can win an important trophy, or even two, and then stay on beyond that as well, if possible,” Mancini said.
“I will try to make sure the team is so beautiful and plays so well that the fans fall in love with it, and perhaps forgive me for what happened. That’s what I hope for.
The 61-year-old said he was confident that there was enough talent among Italian players to put together a competitive team, as he urged national clubs to invest more in their younger players and give them more playing time.
Mancini was picked after plans to appoint Andrea Pirlo fell through due to his ties to a Russian betting firm, also prompting the resignation of his backers Paolo Maldini and Leonardo from key Italian Football Federation (FIGC) roles.
Along with Mancini, FIGC President Giovanni Malago appointed 74-year-old Claudio Ranieri as technical director, to oversee technical operations and elite football development across Italy’s national team structures.
“There are two things I want the most. First, getting Italian fans to fall in love with the national team again. Second, making sure that children like my 12-year-old grandson, who have never seen Italy play at a World Cup, get the chance to do so,” Mancini added.
Mancini’s first game in charge will be a Nations League outing against Belgium on 25 September in Rome, followed by another home match in Bologna against Turkey on 5 October.
“They will be important matches. We’ll immediately get a real measure of our strength and identify the areas where we need to improve. In any case, it will be a difficult group. It will be difficult for us, but it will be difficult for the other teams as well,” he said.
