Roberto Mancini will remain in the dugout for the National Team until June 2026. The announcement was made by FIGC president Gabriele Gravina, who made the Head Coach’s contract extension official at a press conference after today’s Federal Council meeting.

“It's an announcement that we’ve been working on for some time because a project needs time to be completed, and we wanted to continue to the work that has been done in the last three years,” said Gravina. “I’m interested in the path that leads to victory, and we’ll achieve victory the day that we have done a truly great job. With Roberto, there is respect for the role as well as full agreement on what the objectives are.”

“I’m very happy,” the Head Coach commented. “I must thank the Federation and President Gravina. We’re trying to carry on the work that we've already reaped the benefits of. The fact that I can put together a team that is well-liked gives me a lot of satisfaction, and I’m optimistic for the future. We’ll have the European Championship, the Nations League finals and the World Cup all in one year, so the goal is to be able to win while knowing that it won’t be easy and that a bit of luck will also be required.”

Roberto Mancini's adventure with the National Team began on May 14 2018, when he signed the contract that would tie him to the Azzurri for two years, with an automatic renewal in the case of successful qualification for EURO 2020. The 52nd Head Coach in the history of the National Team, his debut in the dugout came on 28 May 2018 in St. Gallen (Switzerland), in a match that saw Italy run out 2-1 winners against Saudi Arabia; his first home match took place on 4 June in Turin, a 1-1 draw with the Netherlands.

Since the start of his Azzurri adventure, Mancini has rejuvenated an Italy side that had suffered huge disappointment after failing to qualify for the World Cup in Russia. The National Team enjoyed a great European Championship qualifying campaign and also progressed to the Final Four of the UEFA Nations League, which will take place in October. World Cup qualifying also began well for Italy with three wins from three in March.

Over the past three years, Mancini has achieved a series of impressive numbers at the helm, becoming the Head Coach with the highest average points return in Azzurri history. He led the team to a record eleven consecutive victories in 2019 (the previous best was Vittorio Pozzo’s nine successive wins in the 1930s) and ten wins from ten in European qualifying, another first. Having picked up 70 points, he’s the Head Coach with the highest tally after 30 games, while he can also boast at having the highest win percentage: 70% (21 wins), putting him ahead of Pozzo, Sacchi, Vicini and Lippi. Furthermore, Mancini has equalled the 25-game undefeated streak achieved by Marcello Lippi’s team between 2004 and 2006 (Italy’s last defeat came against Portugal in Lisbon in September 2018). Only Vittoria Pozzo has done better in Azzurri history in this regard (30 games unbeaten). What’s more, the Azzurri have only conceded three goals in their last 15 matches and, in general, have kept 18 clean sheets across Mancini’s 30 fixtures in charge.

Over the past three years, the Head Coach has called up 76 players, fielding 65 and giving debuts to 32. Bonucci is the player he’s used the most (24 appearances, 1,970 minutes out of a possible 2,700). The average age of the team has been 26.5 years.

FRIENDLIES BEFORE THE EUROS – Next up for the Azzurri are friendly fixtures against San Marino (Sardegna Arena, Cagliari, 20:45 CEST on 28 May) and the Czech Republic (Stadio Dall’Ara, 20:45 CEST on 4 June). When the Azzurri came up against San Marino in friendlies in 1992 and 2013, they ran out 4-0 winners on both occasions. In May 2017, an ‘experimental’ line-up beat the same side 8-0 in Empoli in May 2017. The Azzurri will return to Cagliari for the first time in 16 years and will be taking to the pitch in Sardinia for the sixth time. It’ll be their first fixture at the Sardegna Arena after previously playing at the Amsicora and S. Elia.

Meanwhile, the Azzurri have won twice, drawn on two occasions and also suffered two defeats against the Czech Republic. If Czechoslovakia are also considered, Italy narrowly have the upper hand with nine wins to eight, including the 2-1 victory in extra time in the World Cup final in Italy in 1934. Nine draws complete the picture. In 1953, Italy’s 3-0 win over the same side in Genoa on 13 December was the first National Team match to be broadcast on TV, with Carlo Bacarelli providing the commentary. The team’s final friendly before EURO 2020 will be played in Bologna, where the Azzurri have played 22 times. Their last game at the Dall’Ara was in September 2018, when they played out a 1-1 stalemate with Poland in the Nations League.