Mancini adds Juventus icon to his Italian national team coaching crew

Roberto Mancini is back as manager of the Italian national team after Andrea Pirlo was rejected, with Juventus icon Leonardo Bonucci also joining his backroom staff. Mancini was in charge when Italy won their last major trophy, but he left the role before Euro 2024 to coach the Saudi Arabian national team. He has been without a club since leaving Al Sadd at the end of last season.

Italy failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup and wanted a change of direction. Mancini has now returned after Pirlo was not confirmed as coach following his dealings with a Russian brand. Pirlo was not a popular choice, and Mancini will now look to build a team capable of winning Euro 2028 and qualifying for the 2030 World Cup, which Italy simply cannot afford to miss.

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Mancini begins work on new Italy team

Mancini has already started shaping his backroom staff as he prepares for his second spell in charge of the national team. His return gives Italy a manager with previous experience of delivering success on the international stage, while his immediate task will be to rebuild the team after they failed to reach the 2026 World Cup.

The Italian boss will also be looking towards Euro 2028 as an important opportunity to restore confidence in the national side. His plans will include building a strong support team around him, with one of his former players now set to take on a new role.

Bonucci joins Mancini's backroom staff

According to Tuttomercatoweb, Mancini has been building his backroom staff and has named Bonucci as one of his technical assistants. The former Juventus defender left the club in 2023 and retired from playing in 2024.

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Bonucci was part of the Italy team that won Euro 2020 and made more than 100 appearances for the national team. His experience at international level gives him a strong profile for a role within Mancini's staff, and he will now have the opportunity to contribute away from the pitch.

Mancini and Bonucci will hope their work can help Italy return to the top of international football and avoid another failure to qualify for a major tournament.

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