Roberto Mancini previously coached the Italian national team from 2018 to 2023. Photo by Domenic Aquilina/EPA
July 28 (UPI) -- Italy named Roberto Mancini men's national team coach, the Italian Football Federation announced Tuesday.
Mancini will replace former manager Gennaro Gattuso, who stepped down in April. The Italians, who are tied with Germany for the second-most World Cups (four) in history, failed to qualify for the last three tournaments.
"I believed it was right that the person to become head coach of the national team should be Roberto Mancini, for a variety of reasons," Italian Football Federation president Giovanni Malago said in a news release.
Former Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti and former star midfielder Andrea Pirlo, who helped the Italians win their last World Cup in 2006, were among the other men linked to the vacancy.
