ROME: Luciano Spalletti, who led Napoli to the Serie A title last season, will be the new head coach of European champions Italy, the country’s football federation (FIGC) said on Friday, replacing Roberto Mancini who unexpectedly resigned on Aug 13 after five years in the job.

Spalletti, 64, led Napoli last season to their first Serie A title in 33 years, crowning a long club management career that has included spells at AS Roma, Inter Milan, and a five-year stint with Russian club Zenit St Petersburg.

He stepped aside from the Napoli job in May after requesting a sabbatical and was replaced by Frenchman Rudi Garcia.

The FIGC said in a statement they had “reached an agreement with Luciano Spalletti for the position of coach of the Italian national team starting from September 1”.

“Let’s welcome Spalletti,” said FIGC president Gabriele Gravina. “The national team needed a great coach and I’m very happy that he accepted the technical guidance of the Azzurri. “His enthusiasm and his expertise will be fundamental for the challenges that await Italy in the coming months.”

Spalletti’s official presentation will take place at the national training centre at Coverciano, near Florence, before Euro 2024 qualifiers against North Macedonia and Ukraine, the FIGC said.

Italy are currently third in Group ‘C’ on three points from two matches, trailing Ukraine on six points from three games. England lead the group with 12 points after four matches.

The 64-year-old Tuscan will be in charge of reviving the national team which, despite winning the European title in 2021, failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Mancini, in charge since May 2018, resigned citing “a personal decision” and has been touted for the post of coach of Saudi Arabia.

Published in Dawn, August 20th, 2023

Opinion

One year on

One year on

Governance by the ruling coalition has been underwhelming and marked by growing authoritarianism.

Editorial

Climate funding gap
Updated 17 Feb, 2025

Climate funding gap

Pakistan must boost its institutional capacity to develop bankable climate projects.
UN monitoring report
17 Feb, 2025

UN monitoring report

THE latest report of the UN Security Council’s sanctions monitoring team paints a grim picture of the banned...
Tax policy reform
17 Feb, 2025

Tax policy reform

THE cabinet’s decision to create a Tax Policy Office at the finance ministry has raised hopes that tax policy is...
Maintaining balance
Updated 16 Feb, 2025

Maintaining balance

It must take a more proactive approach to establishing Pakistan’s bona fides.
Welcome return
16 Feb, 2025

Welcome return

IT is almost here; the moment Pakistan has long been waiting for — the first International Cricket Council...
Childhood trauma
16 Feb, 2025

Childhood trauma

BEING a child in this society should not be so hard. But recurrent reports of child abuse — from burying girl...