Mancini poised for Italy return as Sky Italia reports Azzurri job near

Roberto Mancini is on the brink of being reappointed as Italy head coach, according to Sky Sport Italia, less than three years after walking away from the Azzurri job to take charge of Saudi Arabia.

The broadcaster reports that Giovanni Malago, president of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), has informed members of the federal council that Mancini is set to take over the national team once again.

Mancini previously led Italy between 2018 and 2023, overseeing a major rebuild that culminated in victory at Euro 2020 but also included the disappointment of failing to qualify for the 2022 World Cup.

His expected return comes after a turbulent few days surrounding another high-profile candidate, Andrea Pirlo, whose name has now been removed from contention.

Pirlo no longer in frame

Mancini’s emergence as the leading candidate follows developments involving Pirlo in recent days and hours, with the former midfielder confirming he is no longer under consideration.

The Italy great publicly acknowledged his change in status in a post on his personal Instagram account on Monday morning, writing: “علمت الليلة الماضية انني لم اعد ضمن المرشحين لتدريب المنتخب الايطالي”.

Pirlo’s candidacy is understood to have faded in the final stages of the process after he entered into an agreement with a Russian betting company, a move that complicated his prospects of taking the national team job.

That sequence of events has cleared the path for Mancini to move back to the role he vacated in August 2023.

Record with Italy and Saudi Arabia

During his first spell in charge of the Azzurri, Mancini took Italy through 58 matches, recording 38 wins, 12 draws and eight defeats.

The highlight of his tenure came at Euro 2020, where Italy lifted the trophy under his guidance. However, that success was later overshadowed when the team failed to reach the 2022 World Cup finals.

After resigning from the Italy job, Mancini, now 61, was appointed coach of Saudi Arabia. He led the national team in 18 games, with seven victories, six defeats and six draws, before leaving the post in October 2024.

Club stint at Al Sadd

Mancini moved back into club management in November 2025 when he took over at Al Sadd.

His time with the Qatari side proved relatively brief, with the two parties parting ways last month.

Sky Sport Italia’s report did not specify the timing of any official announcement or the details of Mancini’s prospective contract with the FIGC, but the communication from Malago to the federal council indicates that the federation has now settled on its preferred candidate to lead Italy forward.