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See the full story · 5 sourcesMancini returns as Italy boss
Roberto Mancini has returned as Italy's head coach. <p>Mancini - who won Euro 2020 as Italy boss - returns for a second stint in charge of the Azzurri, after the team failed to qualify for a third successive World Cup.</p><p>His appointment comes after Paolo Maldini left his role as technical director of the Italian Football Federation just 16 days into the job.</p><p><strong>Claudio Ranieri</strong> is also expected to be appointed as technical director after Maldini's abrupt departure.</p><ul><li><strong><a href="https://www.skysports.com/football/news/29783/13567412/andrea-pirlo-italy-head-coach-saga-continues-as-former-midfielder-ruled-out-after-russian-betting-deal-backlash">Italy head coach saga continues as Andrea Pirlo ruled out</a></strong></li><li><a href="https://www.skysports.com/football/news/12022/13566556/pep-guardiola-turns-down-chance-to-replace-gennaro-gattuso-as-italy-head-coach-sky-in-italy"><strong>Pep Guardiola rejects chance to become Italy head coach</strong></a></li></ul><p>Both Maldini and his adviser, <strong>Leonardo</strong>, quit just 16 days after the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) made the official announcement of their appointment.</p><p>It was decided on Sunday that talks with <strong>Andrea Pirlo</strong>, Maldini and Leonardo's pick to be Italy's head coach, would not proceed due to concerns over his links to a Russian gambling firm.</p><p>Maldini and Leonardo were brought in to lead a huge shake-up at the FIGC in the wake of the Azzuri missing out on World Cup qualification for a third consecutive tournament.</p><p><strong>Pep Guardiola</strong> also turned down the Italy head coach role, which has been vacant since <strong>Gennaro Gattuso</strong>'s<strong> </strong>departure.</p><p>Mancini had previously worked as Italy head coach for just over five years from 2018, guiding his country to victory in Euro 2020, before resigning in August 2023 to take over as Saudi Arabia boss two weeks later.</p><p>He was in charge of the Saudi national team for just over a year before departing after some poor results in the 2026 World Cup qualification period.</p><h3>Pirlo's Russian links ruled him out of Italy job</h3><widget id="11"></widget><p>Pirlo announced on Monday he was no longer in contention to become the next Italy head coach. He had been the leading candidate after Guardiola ruled himself out.</p><p>The former Azzurri midfielder, 47, is a global ambassador for Russian bookmaker Fonbet, which prompted objections to his potential appointment from some FIGC officials and politicians due to the ongoing war in Ukraine.</p><p>Pirlo, a World Cup winner with Italy in 2006, defended his involvement with the company in an Instagram post.</p><p>He posted: "After learning last night that I am no longer the candidate to lead the Italian national team, I believe it is my duty to clarify a few points.</p><p>"In the last few days I have witnessed with great bitterness the debate that has developed around my name and the possibility of taking over the role of head coach of the Italian national team.</p><p>"During my career, first as a football player and now as a coach, I have always carried out my activity in full respect to the laws of the countries I worked in and the contracts I signed."</p><p>He signed an ambassadorial agreement with Fonbet in October and said the collaboration was exclusively commercial and sporting in nature.</p><p>"To attribute a political meaning to such a collaboration means to attribute convictions that I have never expressed and that do not belong to me," added Pirlo, who is currently managing UAE Pro League club United FC in Dubai.</p> <widget id="13"></widget><h3>Guardiola and Ancelotti also contacted</h3><p><a href="https://www.skysports.com/football/news/32461/13565239/italian-football-federation-hold-talks-with-pep-guardiola-about-replacing-gennaro-gattuso-as-head-coach">The FIGC had met with Guardiola</a> to try and convince him to succeed Gattuso and were willing to make an exceptional adjustment to their budget to hire him.</p><p>Maldini and Leonardo met with Guardiola over three days, explaining their project for the national team moving forward.</p><p>In their discussions with the former Manchester City manager in Barcelona, Maldini and Leonardo presented an idea that went beyond simply offering him a coaching role.</p><p>In the FIGC's vision, Guardiola would have been the central figure in an 'Azzurro project' aiming to rebuild Italian football on solid foundations. Italy did not even qualify for the expanded World Cup this summer.</p> <widget id="12"></widget><p>It would have been a complete overhaul that would have involved not only the senior national team but all other national teams. The Catalan is understood to have listened attentively to Maldini and Leonardo's offer.</p><p>But Guardiola rejected the proposal for personal reasons beyond football, according to <em>Sky in Italy. </em></p><p>Pirlo was set to terminate his contract with United FC ahead of finalising his agreement to become Italy's head coach.</p><p><strong>Carlo Ancelotti </strong>was also contacted before Guardiola, according to Maldini, but has a contract with the Brazil national team.</p> <widget id="14"></widget>