Mancini returns as Italy boss after Gattuso exit chaos

Italy’s managerial carousel has lurched to a halt with Roberto Mancini returning as head coach and Claudio Ranieri installed as technical director, ending weeks of chaos that saw three candidates decline the job and a fourth blocked at the last moment.

A week of reversals and resignations

The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) confirmed Mancini’s appointment on Monday, hours after Paolo Maldini quit as technical director following Andrea Pirlo’s failed bid to take charge. Pirlo’s candidacy collapsed after senior FIGC figures raised concerns over his links to a Russian betting firm, leaving the federation scrambling for a Plan B. Pep Guardiola and Carlo Ancelotti had already turned down the role, while Carlo Ancelotti’s rejection followed earlier reports that the FIGC had approached him before focusing on Guardiola.

Mancini’s return marks the fourth attempt to fill the vacancy left by Gennaro Gattuso, who resigned in April after Italy’s third consecutive World Cup miss. The federation’s president, Giovanni Malago, framed the appointments as a shared vision: “I needed someone with whom I could share the decision on the coach, because without that shared view my reasoning would have carried little weight. So consequently, we have a new coach and a new technical director for Italy.”

From Euro 2020 to three World Cup absences

Mancini’s first spell in charge delivered Euro 2020 glory, sealed by a penalty shootout win over England at Wembley, but his tenure ended in frustration when Italy failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup following a play-off loss to North Macedonia. The Azzurri’s run of 37 unbeaten games under Mancini remains a national record, yet it could not prevent the federation’s most damaging drought since the 1950s: three major tournaments missed in a row, a sequence that began with group-stage exits in 2010 and 2014.

Ranieri’s appointment as technical director adds experience from club and international football, including Leicester’s 2016 Premier League triumph, Juventus, Roma and Inter Milan. His role will oversee technical operations and elite development across Italy’s national structures, replacing Maldini in a reshuffle that also saw Leonardo resign on Monday.

What next for the Azzurri?

The new leadership faces an immediate test in the Nations League, with Italy set to face Belgium on 25 June. The federation’s decision to pair Mancini with Ranieri suggests a dual strategy: immediate competitive focus under Mancini, with long-term technical alignment overseen by Ranieri. Malago’s emphasis on shared decision-making hints at a more collaborative structure than the solitary command that characterised Gattuso’s tenure.

Italy’s next World Cup cycle begins in 2026, and the federation’s choice of Mancini—despite his own World Cup failure—signals a belief that his man-management and tournament pedigree outweigh the risks of another cycle under the same leadership. The return of a coach who delivered a continental title is a gamble, but one the FIGC appears willing to take after months of false starts and blocked avenues.

For a deeper look at why the FIGC’s initial approach to Guardiola was seen as a strategic pivot, read Guardiola’s Italy dream: Why FIGC’s Gattuso gamble is a masterstroke. Meanwhile, the Pirlo saga’s collapse over betting ties is dissected in Andrea Pirlo’s possible appointment as Italy manager faces backlash over ties to Russian betting company.