Italian coach Roberto Mancini has left his role as the head coach of the Saudi Arabian national team manager, the Saudi federation announced on Thursday. Mancini, who previously guided Italy to glory at UEFA Euro 2020 but then stepped down in the summer of 2023, became the Saudi national team manager a few weeks, also becoming one of the highest-paid managers around the world.
During his spell, Mancini picked up seven wins in 18 games and was also part of a disappointing Asian Cup campaign that saw Saudi Arabia eliminated by South Korea in the round of 16. The Saudi Arabian FA announced that Mancini left his role by “mutual agreement” on Thursday, while reports suggested he signed a deal worth more than $25 million a year when he was announced in 2023.
Mancini’s last game with Saudi Arabia was the 0-0 home draw against Bahrain in a 2026 World Cup qualifier, where the Italian manager was also seen arguing with fans in the stands at the end of the game. According to reports, the Saudi FA are now looking for his replacements and Ramon Diaz and former Saudi coach Herve Renard are among the candidates. The Mancini era is already over before it could ever really take off.
