Mancini reappointed Italy boss after Pirlo controversy

Roberto Mancini returned as Italy manager a day after Andrea Pirlo was forced to withdraw, following controversy over his links to a Russian betting company, and Paolo Maldini resigned as technical director.

Gennaro Gattuso left his role in April after a string of failures, and the newly appointed technical director, Claudio Ranieri, will replace Maldini.

Mancini previously guided Italy from 2018 to 2023, winning Euro 2020 and a historic 37‑game unbeaten streak, but resigned after failing to qualify for the 2022 World Cup.

Mancini's track record includes winning the 2012 Premier League with Manchester City and Serie A titles with Inter, as well as stints at Lazio, Galatasaray, and Zenit. He also managed Saudi Arabia briefly before leaving Al Sadd in June.

Italy’s Nations League campaign starts 25 September against Belgium.