Mancini ‘would gladly return for Italy tomorrow, regrets walking away’ | OneFootball

Roberto Mancini ‘regrets leaving the Italy job and would gladly return tomorrow if he had the chance,’ revealed Andrea, the son of the current Al-Sadd coach.

The Nazionale is looking for a new direction following the failure to qualify for a third consecutive edition of the World Cup.

There have been suggestions that Mancini could be among the candidates for a return to the Azzurri bench after Gennaro Gattuso tended his resignation.

Mancini would run back to Italy

Head coach of Italy Roberto Mancini, Team manager Gabriele Oriali and Assistant coach Alberico Evani look on during the UEFA Euro 2020 Championship Group A match between Italy and Wales at Olimpico Stadium on June 20, 2021 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images)

“My father has said even recently that he regrets having left the Nazionale, so he would love to close the circle by winning the World Cup,” Andrea Mancini told Cronache di Spogliatoio.

“I am convinced that he would gladly return tomorrow morning for the Azzurri bench, if he had the chance.”

JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA – APRIL 13: Roberto Mancini team Manager of Al Sadd SC during the AFC Champions League Elite game between Al Hilal FC and Al Sadd SC at Prince Abdullah AlFaisal Sports City on April 13, 2026 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Abdullah Ahmed/Getty Images)

Mancini represented the last success for the Azzurri, winning the EURO 2020 trophy, but he walked away in August 2023, just weeks before crucial EURO 2024 qualifiers.

It was to take the role of Saudi Arabia national team manager, which lasted just 18 games until October 2024, and then became coach of Qatari club side Al-Sadd in November 2025.

His record for the Italy team from July 2018 to August 2023 was of 38 victories, 12 draws and only eight defeats.

They scored 126 goals and conceded 44.