Roberto Mancini reappointed as Italy manager after Pirlo withdraws

Roberto Mancini has been re‑appointed as head coach of the Italy national football team, the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) announced on Tuesday. The decision comes just a day after former midfielder Andrea Pirlo publicly excluded himself from consideration for the role and technical director Paolo Maldini submitted his resignation, leaving the federation to reshuffle its senior staff ahead of upcoming Euro‑2024 qualifiers.

Mancini returns to a position he held from 2018 to 2023, a period that included a Euro 2020 triumph and a World Cup campaign that ended in the round of 16 before his dismissal following the 2022 tournament. The FIGC said the former manager will resume duties immediately, with a focus on stabilising the squad and preparing for the next competitive window. While Maldini’s departure creates a vacancy in the technical department, the federation indicated that a replacement will be identified in due course as Italy seeks to rebuild under Mancini’s experienced leadership.