Claudio Ranieri has been appointed technical director of the Italian national team at the age of 74, marking his third return to football following two previous retirements. The former Leicester City manager assumes the newly created role barely two months shy of his 75th birthday, working alongside Roberto Mancini, who has also begun his second spell as Italy coach.
The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) established the technical director position this summer to provide long-term stability across all national teams. The post oversees not only the senior squad but also the various youth sides and academies throughout the country, ensuring continuity regardless of changes to the head coach. Paolo Maldini had initially accepted the position but held it for just 17 days before stepping aside, paving the way for Ranieri’s appointment.
A Structure Built to Last
The creation of this role reflects an attempt to give the Azzurri a stronger identity and infrastructure that persists beyond the tenure of any single manager. With Mancini returning to the bench for a second stint—having previously led the side from 2018 to 2023—the federation has sought to separate the sporting project from the coaching position. Ranieri’s extensive experience across multiple leagues and his reputation for stabilising clubs were likely decisive factors in his selection.
The Retirement That Wasn’t
Ranieri’s return has become something of a recurring theme in Italian football. He first announced his retirement in June 2024 after securing Serie A safety for Cagliari, only to be lured back to the Roma dugout five months later. He guided the Giallorossi from the relegation zone to the brink of Champions League qualification before moving into a consultancy role, from which he departed earlier this year following clashes with coach Gian Piero Gasperini.
Despite previously insisting he was finished with management, Ranieri has once again answered what he describes as a sense of duty to the national team. His appointment means he will trade the dugout for an executive position, focusing on the development of Italian football from the grassroots to the senior level.
From Leicester to Athens
Ranieri’s curriculum features one of football’s most remarkable triumphs: the 2016 Premier League title with 5,000-1 outsiders Leicester City. His managerial career, which began in 1986 with Vigor Lamezia, has included spells at Napoli, Fiorentina, Valencia, Atlético Madrid, Chelsea, Juventus, Inter and Monaco.
His international experience remains limited. He managed Greece for only four matches between July and November 2014, departing after a humiliating 1-0 home defeat to the Faroe Islands. That brief tenure represents his only previous involvement with national team management, making this technical director appointment a significant expansion of his responsibilities within international football.
As Italy look to rebuild following recent transitional periods, Ranieri’s task will be to align the federation’s various footballing departments under a single vision. At an age when most managers have long since stepped away from the game, the veteran tactician faces perhaps his most challenging assignment yet: shaping the future of Italian football without standing on the touchline.