Roberto Mancini Compares Leaving Italy To 'Losing The Woman Of Your Life'

Roberto Mancini issued an apology in his first public comments Wednesday after being rehired to coach an Italy squad in crisis three years after he abandoned the same job for a lucrative contract with Saudi Arabia.

"I’m very sorry," Mancini said. "It was like losing the woman of your life. And it means you did something that shouldn’t have been done. So I’m sorry, very sorry also for everything that happened over these last three years. … I’m going to try to bring the national team back where it belongs."

Italy failed for a third straight time to qualify for the World Cup, prompting the resignations of federation president Gabriele Gravina and coach Gennaro Gattuso in April, shortly after a playoff defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The 61-year-old Mancini led the Azzurri to the European Championship title in 2021 but shockingly resigned as Italy coach in August 2023, taking over Saudi Arabia’s national team two weeks later.

"It was completely my fault," Mancini said, referring to a lack of communication with Gravina.

(Photo by Shaun Botterill - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)

Mancini’s first match back in charge will be against Belgium in the Nations League on Sept. 25 at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome. He was asked about what type of reception fans might give him.

"I realize some people will be against me," Mancini said. "I’m hoping the squad plays well enough that maybe people will forgive me."

Mancini was a fourth-choice option after Carlo Ancelotti and Pep Guardiola turned the job down and Andrea Pirlo was dropped as a candidate amid political concerns over a sponsorship deal with a Russian betting firm.

Italy's Players

(Photo by Claudio Villa - FIGC/FIGC via Getty Images)

Italy will also face France and Turkey in its Nations League group.

Mancini can rely on players like Pio Esposito, Moise Kean and Nicolo Zaniolo in attack; Sandro Tonali and Nicolo Barella in midfield; Riccardo Calafiori and Marco Palestra at fullback; and Gianluigi Donnarumma in goal.

Center back has been an issue due to problems with Alessandro Bastoni and Francesco Acerbi.

"I don’t think we’re in such a bad state: between center forwards and wingers were have a lot of options," Mancini said. "And I’m talking about young players who can still improve. I gave Kean his debut, so I know him very well."

Mancini also called Zaniolo up to Italy for the first time — before he had made his debut in Serie A.

Less Tactics; More Skills

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Former Leicester and Roma coach Claudio Ranieri was hired as the federation's technical director.

Ranieri said making soccer schools less expensive and more appealing for young Italians, who are gravitating toward other sports — like tennis, inspired by top-ranked Jannik Sinner — would be a priority.

"We need to bring kids back to soccer," Ranieri said. "Our national youth teams are performing well. We need to work on enabling players on the under-21 team to make the jump to the first team; and making sure that the Italy coach has players to choose from."

Ranieri also suggested a move away from Italy's historic devotion to tactics.

"We’re great tactically, others are good technically. Abroad, there’s not so much attention on the tactical aspects like there is here," Ranieri said. "We need to go back to developing individual skills."

Unbeaten Run

Between 2018 and 2021, Mancini coached Italy to a world-record 37-match unbeaten run.

However, a 1-0 semifinal playoff loss to then-67th-ranked North Macedonia at home in 2022 meant that the Azzurri again missed out on the World Cup.

Mancini nevertheless kept his position before surprisingly quitting in August 2023. He left Saudi Arabia in 2024 and was most recently coach at Al-Sadd in Qatar, before departing last month.

Mancini also previously steered Inter Milan and Manchester City to league titles.

Reporting by The Associated Press.