Roberto Mancini, manager of Italy, looks on during the 2022-23 UEFA Nations League third-place game against the Netherlands at De Grolsh Veste Stadium in Enschede, Netherlands, June 18, 2023. /CFP
Roberto Mancini, manager of the Italian national football team, has resigned, the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) announced on Sunday.
"The Italian Football Federation can announce that it has accepted the resignation of Roberto Mancini as Head Coach of the Italian national team, received late yesterday evening," the federation said in a statement.
"I thank all my players and fans who have accompanied me in these five years," Mancini wrote on Instagram. "I will always carry the extraordinary victory of the 2020 European Championship in my heart. It has been an honor."
Mancini succeeded caretaker manager Luigi Di Biagio in May 2018 to take over the Italian national team. He helped the team win the title in the UEFA European Championship in 2021, but they failed to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, missing two straight editions of the tournament for the first time in team history.
Roberto Mancini poses with the UEFA European Championship trophy after defeating England in the tournament's final at Wembley Stadium in London, England, July 11, 2021. /CFP
"Thus concludes a significant page in the history of the Azzurri, which began in May 2018 and finished with the 2023 Nations League Finals, with victory at Euro 2020 in-between, a triumph achieved by a group of players in which each member came together to form a team," FIGC said in the statement.
Mancini, in 2021, signed a contract extension until 2026. His decision to leave the manager position put Italy in a pressing need for his replacement to guide the team for the coming Euro 2024 qualifying games. Italy will play North Macedonia and Ukraine on September 10 and 12, respectively.
"Given the important upcoming UEFA Euro 2024 qualifiers, the FIGC will name the new national head coach in the coming days," the federation said.