A 4-time World Cup champion team is about to get a top-notch coach

Roberto Mancini is on the verge of returning to the Italian national team, standing as the primary choice to take over from Gennaro Gattuso, awaiting only the Italian Football Federation’s final nod.

Roberto Mancini is just steps away from making a comeback on the coaching bench of the Italian national team after becoming the most prominent candidate for the Azzurri head coach position.

According to the latest update from transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Mancini has shown willingness to return to lead the national team since May, and he remains the Italian Football Federation’s (FIGC) top pick. The 61-year-old manager is now only waiting for the official green light from the federation to finalize the appointment process.

This information reinforces earlier reports from Gianluca Di Marzio and Nicolo Schira, both of whom confirmed that Mancini’s comeback is only a matter of time.

Following the failure in the 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign, Coach Gennaro Gattuso left his post in March, forcing the FIGC to appoint Silvio Baldini as interim coach. Under Baldini’s guidance, Italy secured two consecutive wins against Luxembourg and Greece, but the Azzurri’s long-term plan still leans toward a more experienced figure.

Mancini is no stranger to Italian football fans. He led the national team from 2018 to 2023, guiding the Azzurri to win EURO 2021 and restoring the team to a top position in Europe. However, failing to qualify for the 2022 World Cup left a significant stain on his first tenure.

In 2023, Mancini unexpectedly left Italy to take charge of Saudi Arabia. However, his short stint in the Middle East did not yield the expected success. The Italian tactician himself has admitted multiple times that leaving the Azzurri was a career mistake.

According to Italian media, the FIGC is finalizing the last formalities before announcing the new head coach. Barring any surprises, Mancini will begin his second term at Coverciano in the coming weeks, tasked with revitalizing the team after the shock of missing the 2026 World Cup and building a squad for EURO 2028 and the 2030 World Cup.