Italy reappoint Roberto Mancini as manager and Claudio Ranieri as director
Roberto Mancini has returned for a second spell as Italy manager, with Claudio Ranieri appointed as technical director following the resignation of Gennaro Gattuso.
The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) president Giovanni Malago confirmed the double appointment during a Federal Council meeting on Tuesday.
The former Manchester City boss replaces Gattuso, who stepped down in April after the Azzurri suffered a World Cup play-off defeat by Bosnia and Herzegovina.
That devastating loss meant the four-time world champions missed out on a third consecutive global tournament.
Familiar faces return to rebuild
Mancini previously managed the national side between 2018 and 2023, famously guiding them to the European Championship title with a penalty shootout victory over England at Wembley.
He now brings a wealth of club experience back to the international setup, having secured domestic honours with Inter Milan, Fiorentina and Manchester City.
“I believed that the best person to become head coach was Roberto Mancini.”
Giovanni Malago, FIGC President
Joining the 59-year-old is fellow Premier League winner Ranieri, who succeeds Paolo Maldini in the boardroom.
The 74-year-old, renowned for orchestrating Leicester City’s miraculous title triumph in 2016, will oversee elite football development across the country’s national structures.
Federation turbulence and blocked appointments
These significant appointments arrive after a period of intense turbulence for the Italian federation.
Maldini and fellow adviser Leonardo both resigned from their posts on Monday following internal disagreements over the managerial search.
Their preferred candidate, Andrea Pirlo, saw his potential appointment blocked due to alleged ties with a Russian betting firm.
Former Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola also turned down initial approaches from the FIGC earlier this month following his departure from English football.
“I needed someone with whom I could share the decision on the coach, because without that shared view my reasoning would have carried little weight,” Malago explained.
The newly formed management team will face their first test when the European giants return to Nations League action against Belgium on 25 September.