Roberto Mancini Returns to Italy Bench for Four Nations League Fixtures

Roberto Mancini has named 34 players, including eight potential debutants, for his first matches since being reappointed as Italy coach in July.

Roberto Mancini begins his second tenure as Italy coach this Friday with a home UEFA Nations League match against Belgium, followed by a fixture against Türkiye three days later. The Azzurri then face France on Oct. 2 before a second meeting with Türkiye on Oct. 5. Reappointed in July, Mancini oversees a 34-man squad featuring eight potential debutants as the team attempts to recover from missing three successive World Cups.

Roster adjustments were confirmed on Monday as Matteo Ruggeri and Samuele Ricci joined the squad to replace the injured Federico Dimarco and Bryan Cristante. The current group blends veteran players from the Euro 2020 championship run with new prospects intended to build toward a four-year cycle. Mancini stated that including younger players helps establish a squad free from the pressure of previous qualification failures.

The coach addressed his August 2023 resignation, which occurred two weeks before he joined the Saudi Arabia national team, acknowledging that fans have a right to feel betrayed by his departure three years ago. Mancini noted that the 2021 European Championship title is in the past and success in the upcoming Nations League cycle is necessary to settle tensions. The Nations League Finals are scheduled for next June, one year prior to Euro 2028.