Roberto Mancini has agreed to return as Italy head coach, with Claudio Ranieri appointed as the national team’s new technical director, according to comments from Italian Football Federation (FIGC) president Giovanni Malagò.
The news, reported by The Guardian, confirms Mancini’s second spell in charge after previously leading the Azzurri between 2018 and 2023. Ranieri, meanwhile, replaces Paolo Maldini in the overseeing technical director role.
What’s been confirmed — and why FIGC has moved quickly
Mancini replaces Gennaro Gattuso, who left the role in April after Italy failed to qualify for a third World Cup in succession, as outlined in The Guardian’s report. The appointment is a clear attempt by FIGC to stabilise the national team set-up after a period of upheaval and underperformance on the biggest stage.
Malagò’s confirmation also formalises the broader restructure around the senior side: Ranieri’s arrival as technical director is designed to provide oversight and continuity above the head coach, a key point given Maldini’s departure from the role.
“Roberto Mancini has agreed to be Italy head coach for a second time,” Malagò said, also confirming Claudio Ranieri would take over as technical director. — Giovanni Malagò, via The Guardian
For Mancini, the return comes with a complicated legacy. He delivered Italy’s finest modern moment by winning the European Championship in 2021, but his first tenure also included disappointment in failing to reach the 2022 World Cup and a slow start to Euro 2024 qualifying, per The Guardian.
Mancini’s first Italy spell: the highs, the lows, and what it signals now
Mancini’s record in his first stint is substantial: he managed Italy for 58 matches between 2018 and 2023, The Guardian reports. That experience matters because FIGC is not hiring a coach to learn the job on the fly; it is turning back to a figure who understands the national-team rhythm, the pressure of qualification cycles, and the unique demands of managing a squad assembled only a handful of times per season.
The headline achievement remains Euro 2021, when Mancini guided Italy to the title with a penalty shootout victory over England at Wembley. Yet the return also implicitly acknowledges the scale of the rebuild required after missing another World Cup — a failure that continues to shape every major FIGC decision, from staffing to long-term planning.
At club level, Mancini’s pedigree is well established. The Guardian notes he has managed Inter, Fiorentina and Manchester City, and spent three years at City, guiding them to their first Premier League title in 2011-12. That track record of handling elite environments is part of the appeal for a federation seeking an immediate reset rather than a slow-burn project.
Infographic-style stats block
Appointment: Roberto Mancini returns as Italy head coach (second spell)
Technical director: Claudio Ranieri (replaces Paolo Maldini)
Replaces: Gennaro Gattuso (left in April)
First Italy spell: 2018-2023
Matches managed (first spell): 58
Major honour: Euro 2021 title (won on penalties vs England at Wembley)
Key setback: Failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup
Ranieri’s role as technical director: structure, accountability, and the next steps
Ranieri’s appointment is as significant as the coaching change because it clarifies who will shape the direction of the national team beyond matchdays. As technical director, he inherits the position from Maldini and will be expected to provide oversight around the senior side — and, by extension, the broader technical vision that sits above the head coach.
Exactly how responsibilities will be divided between Mancini and Ranieri will become clearer once FIGC outlines the working model publicly. But the intent is straightforward: Italy are attempting to build a more robust framework after a period in which coaching changes and executive turnover have not produced the required results.
In the short term, Mancini’s immediate task will be to restore confidence and momentum in competitive fixtures, while Ranieri’s presence should help ensure continuity in selection principles, performance standards and long-term planning.
- Confirmed: Mancini is Italy head coach again; Ranieri is technical director (via Malagò, reported by The Guardian).
- Confirmed: Gattuso left in April after Italy failed to qualify for a third straight World Cup (The Guardian).
- Confirmed: Ranieri replaces Paolo Maldini in the overseeing role (The Guardian).
For Italy supporters, the return of a coach associated with a recent trophy offers a familiar reference point — but the wider context remains unforgiving. The job is no longer about rebuilding reputations; it is about rebuilding qualification reliability and ensuring Italy’s place at future tournaments becomes routine again.
