Football/ Mancini’s bold bid for Italy return after Saudi stint ends

Roberto Mancini is attempting a stunning comeback as Italy manager just two years after his controversial resignation to coach Saudi Arabia. The 60-year-old, who led Italy to Euro 2020 glory but failed to qualify for Qatar 2022, has publicly declared his interest in replacing Luciano Spalletti following Italy’s recent 3-0 humiliation in Norway.

In a revealing Gazzetta dello Sport interview, Mancini admitted his “mistake was not speaking properly” with FIGC president Gabriele Gravina before leaving in 2023.

Despite their public feud including Mancini’s past accusations that Gravina “wanted him gone» the coach insists: “Winning with Italy is different.”

The Azzurri’s decline continues since their European triumph, having missed three of the last four World Cups.

While  Roberto Mancini boasts a 37-game unbeaten streak record, his Saudi dismissal last October and previous exit timing raise questions about this audacious proposal.

With Gravina still in charge and Italy’s 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign wobbling, this potential reunion could either reignite the national team or become football’s most combustible comeback. As Mancini notes: “It’s a risk but sometimes you must take it.”