Official: Roberto Mancini Returns as Italy Head Coach, Claudio Ranieri Appointed Technical Director

Roberto Mancini has officially been appointed the new head coach of the Italian national team.

The announcement was made on July 28, 2026, by Italian Football Federation president Giovanni Malagò during a meeting of the Federal Council.

Alongside Mancini, Claudio Ranieri has been appointed the national team’s new technical director, replacing Paolo Maldini, who resigned together with his adviser Leonardo.

Mancini therefore returns for a second spell in charge of the Azzurri, three years after the end of his first tenure.

Malagò: “I Chose Mancini and I Take Responsibility”

The FIGC president explained that time was running out and that Mancini represented the most appropriate choice to begin a new cycle.

“Time was running out, and I came to the conclusion that the person who should become national team coach was Roberto Mancini. I take responsibility for this decision,” Malagò said.

According to the federation president, Mancini’s return was carefully evaluated, including the circumstances surrounding his departure from the national team in 2023.

Malagò emphasized that Mancini’s apology had been an important factor in his return and indicated that the matter would be discussed further during the official presentation.

Ranieri Takes Charge of the Technical Project

The changes are not limited to the coaching position. Claudio Ranieri will become the new technical director and one of the leading figures in the project to rebuild Italian football.

Malagò explained that he needed an experienced director with whom he could share the federation’s most important sporting decisions, particularly the appointment of the national team coach.

“The person with whom I shared these decisions is Claudio Ranieri. He has guaranteed me his commitment and has already spoken with Mancini by telephone,” the FIGC president said.

To give Ranieri the necessary authority, the Federal Council also approved an important change to the Club Italia regulations.

Until now, only the federation president could serve as president of Club Italia. Following the amendment, the position can also be assigned to another individual.

Mancini and Ranieri are expected to be officially presented together at a press conference on July 29.

The End of the Maldini–Leonardo Project

The appointments of Mancini and Ranieri follow several chaotic days inside the Italian Football Federation.

Paolo Maldini and Leonardo resigned only 16 days after accepting their positions. Their disagreement with Malagò began after the federation president blocked Andrea Pirlo’s appointment as national team coach.

Pirlo had become the subject of controversy because of his commercial partnership with Russian betting company Fonbet.

Maldini and Leonardo considered the former midfielder the right candidate for their project, while Malagò refused to approve his appointment for what he described as reasons of “institutional appropriateness.”

The disagreement led to the departure of both directors and forced the FIGC to rebuild its technical leadership immediately.

Mancini, the Architect of Euro 2020 Glory

Mancini previously coached Italy from May 2018 until August 2023.

During that period, the Azzurri won the European Championship by defeating England on penalties in the final at Wembley.

Under his leadership, Italy also set a world record by going 37 consecutive matches without defeat.

Mancini’s record during his first spell included:

61 matches 39 victories 13 draws Nine defeats 130 goals scored 49 goals conceded Euro 2020 champion Two third-place finishes in the UEFA Nations League, in 2021 and 2023

Despite those achievements, his tenure was also marked by Italy’s failure to qualify for the 2022 World Cup following a shocking playoff defeat against North Macedonia.

A Return Filled With Enormous Pressure

Mancini is not returning to a stable national team.

He takes charge of an Italy wounded by a third consecutive failure to qualify for the World Cup and by serious disagreements within the federation.

His difficult mission will be to restore confidence, rejuvenate the squad and return Italy to its place among the leading powers of international football.

Mancini’s experience, knowledge of the environment and Euro 2020 triumph make him a familiar and proven choice.

However, his second spell will determine whether he can repeat the Wembley miracle and bring an end to one of the deepest crises in the history of Italian football.

Can Roberto Mancini return Italy to the top of European and world football?