Roberto Mancini Returns as Italy Coach with Claudio Ranieri

Roberto Mancini is back in charge of the Italian national team, returning to a job he knows intimately, this time with Claudio Ranieri installed alongside him as technical director.

The 61-year-old, who recently lifted the Stars League title with Qatari side Al-Sadd, steps straight from club success back into the international arena. It is a familiar stage, but a very different backdrop, with Italy once again turning to a seasoned figure to steady the project.

Ranieri’s arrival adds another layer of experience. The veteran coach, whose career has taken him across Europe’s major leagues, will not be on the touchline but in the corridors of strategy and structure, shaping the broader technical vision around Mancini’s work with the squad.

This reshuffle follows a turbulent internal spell. An attempt to appoint Andrea Pirlo was blocked, a move that triggered the resignations of Paolo Maldini and Leonardo from their positions. Power lines shifted, and the federation has responded by leaning on two of the most battle-tested Italian coaches of their generation.

Now Mancini, fresh from a title abroad, and Ranieri, the consummate stabiliser, are tasked with turning that upheaval into a new blueprint. For Italy, it is not just a reunion with a familiar face on the bench, but a clear bet that experience, once again, will define the next chapter.