Roberto Mancini has resigned as Italy’s head coach, the country’s football federation (FIGC) said on Sunday, ending a five-year spell in which the national team experienced continental success but missed out on the sport’s biggest tournament.
Mancini took charge of the four-time World Cup winners in 2018 after they failed to qualify for that year’s tournament in Russia, having previously not missed a World Cup finals since 1958. Following the retirements of the veterans Andrea Barzagli, Daniele De Rossi and Gianluigi Buffon, Mancini guided a transitional Italy side to success at the European Championship in 2021, beating England in the final. His team also went on a run of 37 games without defeat between October 2018 and October 2021, a record in the men’s game.
Italy performed well at the Nations League under Mancini, finishing third in the 2020-21 and 2022-23 editions of the tournament. However, Mancini was unable to take Italy back to the World Cup, with the team once again failing to qualify for last year’s tournament in Qatar after a stunning 1-0 loss at home to North Macedonia in a playoff.
After that failed World Cup qualifying campaign, Mancini came under intense pressure in the Italian media to resign but received backing from the national federation president to continue in the role. However, the Euro 2024 qualifying campaign started with a 2-1 home defeat by England.
“A significant page in the history of the Azzurri, which began in May 2018 and ended with the 2023 Nations League finals, comes to an end,” the FIGC said in a statement. “In between, the victory at Euro 2020, a triumph conquered by a group in which all the individuals were able to become a team.”
Mancini’s resignation comes just days after the former international forward was given responsibility for Italy’s under-21 and under-20 teams in a bid to integrate the same styles and systems of play across age groups.
Italy are next in action in September, when they take on North Macedonia and Ukraine in Euro 2024 qualifying matches.
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“Taking into account the important and upcoming commitments for the Uefa Euro 2024 qualifiers … the FIGC will announce the name of the new national coach in the next few days,” the federation said.