2023-08-13 12:38:07
Roberto Mancini has surprisingly resigned as team boss of European soccer champions Italy. The 58-year-old submitted his resignation on Saturday evening after a good five years, the Italian football association FIGC announced on Sunday. Mancini had led Italy to the European Championship title in 2021 and thus celebrated the greatest success with the Azzurri since the 2006 world championship title. According to the association, a successor is to be determined in the next few days.
No reason was given for Mancini’s unexpected withdrawal. Under Mancini, Italy had missed out on participating in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, but most recently reached the final tournament of the Nations League, where the Squadra Azzurra finished third in June after a semi-final defeat by Spain. In the European Championship qualifier for 2024, Italy is third in Group C with three points from two games. The games against North Macedonia and Ukraine are already scheduled for September.
Mancini followed interim coach Luigi di Bagio in 2018, who took over from Gian Piero Ventura after missing the 2018 World Cup. Under the 58-year-old, the Azzurri impressed with passionate football and team spirit at the 2021 European Championship and went unbeaten in 37 games in a row. Most recently, Italy’s ex-goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon was appointed head of the national team’s delegation after retiring. He succeeded Mancini confidante Gianluca Vialli, who died of cancer earlier this year.
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