Ex-coach Roberto Mancini returns to lead Italy's national team

Former coach Roberto Mancini is returning to coach Italy's men's national team, three years after he left the job.

Giovanni Malago, president of Italy's football federation, called him "the best possible choice."

"Time was running out and I felt that Roberto Mancini was the right person for the job as manager, for a whole list of reasons," Malago said.

Italy split with head coach Gennaro Gattuso in April after the team failed to qualify for the World Cup. The country has not qualified for the past three global tournaments and last won in 2006.

Italy's exclusion from the World Cup also led to the resignations of Gabriele Gravina, the federation president, and Gianluigi Buffon, the national team delegation chief.

Malago also announced that Claudio Ranieri will fill the role of technical director. He replaces Paolo Maldini, who resigned Monday just two weeks after his appointment.

His resignation is tied to Italy's decision not to hire Andrea Pirlo, a player on the 2006 team.

After reportedly offering the job to Carlo Ancelotti and Pep Guardiola -- and being turned down by both -- Italy shifted gears to Pirlo, the head coach of Dubai United of the UAE Pro League since last July,

His hiring was derailed by politicians in Italy over after his professional affiliation with Fonbet, a betting firm in Russia, given Italy's strong support of Ukraine.

Ukraine and Russia have been at war since the Russian invasion in February 2022.

Malago said it was his decision to ultimately not hire Pirlo, who added he had not been aware of the coach's ties to Fonbet.

Mancini, 61, coached the Italian national team from 2018-23. While winning the European Championship in 2021, Italy failed to reach the World Cup in 2022.

After his resignation, he took over as coach of the Saudi Arabia national team and subsequently was in charge of a team in Qatar.

Mancini entered coaching in 2001, and his stops have included Inter Milan and Manchester City.

--Field Level Media