Mancini reinstalled as Italy coach as Ranieri takes senior FIGC job in sweeping shake-up

Roberto Mancini has been formally reappointed as Italy head coach, with Claudio Ranieri handed a leading technical role at the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), in a major restructuring aimed at stabilising the Azzurri setup.

Giovanni Malago, president of the FIGC, confirmed on Tuesday that Mancini is returning to the national team post he left in 2023, when he chose to embark on a new spell in charge of Saudi Arabia. The announcement ends weeks of uncertainty over the identity of Italy’s next coaching staff.

Speaking at a press conference to reveal the changes, Malago said: “I saw that Roberto Mancini is the best person to take charge of the Italian national team.”

Mancini back after Euro 2020 triumph

Mancini’s comeback marks the resumption of a tenure that previously lasted five years and delivered one of Italy’s most significant recent triumphs. Under his guidance, the Azzurri won UEFA Euro 2020, defeating England on penalties in the final to secure the European Championship title.

That tournament success had been regarded as the high point of his first spell in charge of the national side, and his return is being framed by the FIGC as a way to draw on that experience in a period of transition.

Mancini’s new mandate begins against a backdrop of internal turbulence at the federation and follows the collapse of efforts to appoint Andrea Pirlo. The Pirlo talks stalled, prompting a broader reassessment of the technical structure around the national team.

Ranieri handed key FIGC role

Alongside Mancini’s reappointment, Malago also confirmed that Ranieri has been named technical director of the FIGC. The move is designed to strengthen the federation’s administrative and sporting operation with additional experience and continuity.

The decision to pair Mancini’s coaching return with Ranieri’s senior technical position is intended to bring greater stability and expertise after a series of rapid changes at the top of the Italian game.

The federation hopes Ranieri’s appointment will bolster long‐term planning and provide added support to the national team and wider technical departments, following a spell that has been marked by short-lived tenures and abrupt exits.

Federation seeks stability after leadership exits

The restructuring at the FIGC comes in the wake of a string of developments that have unsettled the organisation. Talks over Pirlo’s potential role did not progress, and shortly afterwards Paolo Maldini and Leonardo both announced their departures from their posts, despite having only recently taken up their responsibilities.

These resignations fed into a sense of instability around the national team and the federation’s wider technical direction, accelerating the drive for a more durable framework.

By restoring Mancini to the dugout and integrating Ranieri into the federation’s leadership, the FIGC is aiming to draw a line under recent upheaval and provide a clearer path forward.

Officials at the federation believe this new structure can help end the uncertainty that has surrounded the Azzurri and support the creation of a fresh project intended to return Italy to prominence on both the European and global stage.