The Italy National Team now has a new coach. In the midst of a deep sports and institutional crisis, the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) confirmed this Tuesday the return of Roberto Mancini as head coach of the national team, with the aim of leading the reconstruction of the Azzurra and putting an end to a historic streak of frustrations.
The announcement was made by the president of the FIGC, Giovanni Malagò, who reaffirmed the decision after a meeting of the Federal Council. Thus, Mancini will begin his second term at the helm of the national team, after having managed the team from 2018 to 2023, a period during which he won the 2021 Euro Cup, the last major success of Italian football.
His return comes just days after the failed attempt to hire Andrea Pirlo. The former midfielder was the chosen candidate by Paolo Maldini and Leonardo Araújo, who had recently taken on the roles of director of national teams and advisor, respectively. However, Malagò's refusal to proceed with that appointment led to the resignation of both officials and forced the Federation to seek an alternative.
Explaining the process, the FIGC president stated: "It is true what has been disclosed so far: there was a defined candidate agreed upon by recommendation of Maldini and Leonardo. Then, the change of stance regarding the chosen name, Pirlo, led me to stop supporting this candidacy, simply to evaluate whether it was the most appropriate".
