News Focus
- Roberto Mancini avoids questions about taking the Italy manager job again
- The former boss says he will watch the World Cup from home this summer
- Italy failed to reach the finals after losing a play-off to Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Mancini calls his move to Saudi Arabia a mistake
- He warns that algorithms and AI cannot replace human managers in football
Roberto Mancini has refused to answer questions about a potential return to manage the Italy national team. The former Azzurri boss spoke at a public event in Rome on Wednesday, but he would not discuss his future.
Reporters asked Mancini about links to the vacant Italy position. He simply replied that he will “watch the World Cup” this summer. He gave no further details about his plans.
Italy will not compete at the tournament in North America. The four-time champions missed out after losing to Bosnia and Herzegovina in a penalty shoot-out during the play-off final in March. This is the third World Cup in a row that the Azzurri have failed to qualify for.
Silvio Baldini will take charge of the team for friendly matches in June. The Italian Football Federation will appoint a new permanent manager after presidential elections on June 22, 2026.
Mancini is one of the favourites for the role. Other candidates include Antonio Conte, Massimiliano Allegri and Claudio Ranieri.
The 59-year-old resigned as Italy boss in August 2023. He had won the European Championship with the country in 2021, but they failed to reach the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Weeks after leaving Italy, he accepted the Saudi Arabia national team job. He later admitted this was an error.
During his appearance in Rome, Mancini also spoke about modern technology in football. He shared his views on artificial intelligence and match algorithms.
“This technology is already part of our sport,” he said. “But I believe we must trust what we see with our own eyes. Algorithms can make mistakes in football.”
Mancini insists that computers will never replace human managers. “I do not think so,” he stated. “The human element remains the most important thing.”