Official: Mancini resigns from Italy national team

Roberto Mancini has officially resigned as coach of the Italy squad, as the FIGC announces it will announce a replacement ‘over the next few days.’

The timing could not be worse, as the Azzurri are set to play crucial EURO 2024 qualifying matches against North Macedonia on September 10 and Ukraine on September 12.

The Nazionale started the group with a 2-1 defeat to England and 2-0 win away to Malta.

“Considering the important and close games in qualifying for UEFA Euro 2024, the name of the new CT will be announced over the next few days,” read a statement from the FIGC.

“The Federation announces it has accepted the resignation of Roberto Mancini as coach of the Italian national team, which was received late yesterday evening.

“A significant page in the history of the Azzurri therefore closes, having opened in May 2018 and concluded with the Nations League Finals 2023. Between that, the victory at Euro 2020, a triumph achieved by a squad where all the individuals were able to form a team.”

It is a shock, especially as just days ago Mancini was named co-ordinator of the various Italy youth teams as well, a role that was meant to give him more power over the formation of talent.

Mancini won the EURO 2020 tournament and set a new all-time world record unbeaten run for an international team.

He leaves the Azzurri after 39 wins, 13 draws and nine defeats, in which the Nazionale scored 130 goals and conceded 49.

The 58-year-old was appointed in May 2018 and his contract was due to run until the end of July 2026.

It has been a very tough few months for Mancini on a personal level, losing both his Italy colleague Gianluca Vialli and good friend Sinisa Mihajlovic to terminal illnesses.