Roberto Mancini is no longer the head coach of the Saudi Arabian national football team, as announced by the Saudi Football Federation in a statement regarding a “mutual agreement” to terminate the contract. Mancini’s departure comes after just over a year in charge and at a time when the team has struggled to achieve favorable results. In their last four matches of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, Saudi Arabia managed to secure only one victory, currently sitting third in Group C, tied on points with Australia and Bahrain.
Mancini’s decision to take the coaching role in Saudi Arabia had sparked considerable discussion in Italy. His resignation on August 13, 2023, was unexpected, occurring less than a year before the European Championships and shortly after he had been appointed to oversee the Under-21 and Under-20 national teams. Speculation arose that he may have left the Italian position for a more lucrative offer in Saudi Arabia, where clubs were enticing prominent players and coaches with salaries reaching tens of millions of euros annually, due to the nation’s growing ambitions in football.
Prior to this recent stint, Mancini coached the Italian national team from May 2018 until August 2023, leading them to victory in the 2021 European Championship. However, his tenure ended with disappointment after failing to qualify for the 2022 World Cup. A well-known figure in Italian football, Mancini enjoyed a successful playing career in the 1990s with Sampdoria and Lazio, winning league titles with both clubs, and later became a celebrated manager with three Serie A titles, four Coppa Italia wins, and international accolades with Manchester City and Galatasaray.
