Mancini Returns to Italy With a Line That Says It All: "Losing the National Team Was Like Losing the Love of My Life"

Some lines say more than any tactical breakdown ever could. "Losing it was like when someone in love loses the woman of his life," Roberto Mancini said when asked about his departure from the Italian national team. He offered that deeply personal image at a press conference this Monday, nearly two months after being officially confirmed as the Azzurri's new head coach, with his first call-up list for the Nations League already on the table.

This return is no small chapter. Mancini had already led Italy once before, from 2018 to 2023, a spell that left an open wound: missing out on the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Since then, a nation that has won the World Cup four times has gone through three consecutive World Cups without qualifying, something that had never happened before to a team with this kind of history. That single fact explains much of the weight Mancini carries as he steps back onto the bench.

The schedule is already set. It all begins on September 25 against Belgium at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome. Three days later, Italy travels to face Turkey, and on October 2 they're away to France. The window wraps up on October 5 in Bologna, again against Turkey.

Speaking from Coverciano, where the squad is already gathering ahead of Friday's opener against Belgium, Mancini made it clear he isn't back for a stroll:

I feel like I owe something, I want to win back those who feel betrayed: I want to win.Roberto Mancini

The coach understands the fans' frustration and doesn't shy away from it. "If a fan feels betrayed, they have every right to be angry, that's understandable. To win them back we have to do things the right way and put the national team back where it belongs," he said, well aware that words only convince people once results start following them.

So what does he expect from this new cycle? Mancini didn't hesitate: "I'm sure we'll achieve something in the next four years. I never start out to lose." He then added a thought that sounds more like a working philosophy than an empty promise: "I go in wanting a team that dominates, that plays well and always gives everything. You can't always win, but we'll go out there to do it."

A Squad Mixing Experience With New Faces

Between the posts, Mancini again places his trust in Gianluigi Donnarumma (Manchester City) and adds Marco Carnesecchi, Massimo Pessina and Guglielmo Vicario. The back line features heavyweight names like Alessandro Bastoni, Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Federico Dimarco, all from Inter and Napoli, alongside younger players such as Giorgio Scalvini and Daniele Ghilardi.

In midfield, Nicolò Barella and Sandro Tonali both made the cut, while up front Mancini called in Moise Kean, Gianluca Scamacca and the Esposito brothers, Sebastiano and Pio, among other forwards competing for a spot in this new project.

The coach closed with a thought that sums up the moment: "When I came back I was really happy. We've been through some wonderful times together." Now it's time to prove it on the field, starting with Belgium.