Luciano Spalletti, crowned Italian champion last season with Naples, has been appointed coach of the Nazionale, the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) announced on Friday August 18.
Aged 64, and without a job since his decision to leave Naples shortly after the coronation, he succeeds Roberto Mancini, who led Italy to the European title in 2021 but then failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Mancini, in office since May 2018, surprisingly resigned last Sunday citing “a personal decision”. His name has since been cited for the post of coach of Saudi Arabia.
Spalletti will take up his duties on September 1, before the next meetings of the national team, against North Macedonia and then Ukraine as part of the Euro 2024 qualifiers in Germany, said the Italian Federation in a press release. .
Time is running out for the team’s new ‘technical commissioner’, who lost to England in their first game of Euro 2024 qualifying and sit only third in Group C after two games.
“His enthusiasm and expertise will be fundamental for the challenges facing Italy in the months to come,” said FIGC President Gabriele Gravina. “The national team needed a great coach and I’m very happy that he accepted the technical direction of the Azzurri,” he also noted.