Mancini Takes Charge of Italy National Team with Ranieri

Roberto Mancini is back at the helm of the Italian national team, with Claudio Ranieri installed alongside him as technical director in a heavyweight reshaping of the Azzurri’s leadership.

The 61-year-old returns to international management after his latest stint at club level with Qatari side Al-Sadd, where he captured the Stars League title last season. That success has proved enough to propel him straight back into one of the most scrutinised jobs in world football.

This time, he will not stand alone. Ranieri, one of Italy’s most respected coaching figures, steps in as technical director, adding experience, tactical nuance and a broader strategic view around the national setup. It is a partnership built on decades of touchline know-how and dressing-room management.

The appointments arrive after a turbulent spell behind the scenes. An attempt to bring in Andrea Pirlo was blocked, a move that triggered immediate consequences at the top of the structure. Paolo Maldini and Leonardo, both key figures in the project, chose to resign from their positions in the wake of that failed pursuit.

So Italy turn back to familiarity, to proven names and steady hands. Mancini, with Ranieri at his side, inherits not just a team but a fractured framework in need of clarity and direction. The question now is simple and unforgiving: can this veteran duo turn institutional upheaval into a new era of stability and success for the Azzurri?