Mancini wants to revive Italy against the Red Devils
Roberto Mancini, 61, said on Friday that the Squadra Azzurra is starting a new cycle by facing the Red Devils in the upcoming Nations League match, after a 2026 year marked by elimination in the playoffs against Bosnia‑Herzegovina and the departure of Gennaro Gattuso.
Italy won Euro 2021, but since that achievement it has missed two World Cups, including qualification for the 2022 World Cup, and has experienced a genuine internal upheaval in 2026. 182 The Squadra Azzurra also starts this new cycle, starting further back than Belgium.
A cycle after the 2026 debacle
After the elimination in the playoffs against Bosnia‑Herzegovina, the federation carried out a clean‑up: the departure of Gennaro Gattuso and the federation president. The Andrea Pirlo project, intended to succeed Gattuso, failed because of an economic collusion scandal with Russia. Roberto Mancini must therefore get Italian football out of the rut.
Mancini, who already coached Italy from 2018 to 2023, knows the highs and lows: he led the Azzurri to victory at Euro 2021, then saw the team fail to qualify for the 2022 World Cup.
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A rejuvenated squad for the revival
In his first press conference, the 61‑year‑old coach presented an expanded group of 34 players, largely rejuvenated, stating: “To have a strong team in the future, we must quickly understand who the players are that can help us, especially the youngsters.” He added that his principle was to have a team that dominates, plays well and enjoys itself.
Belgium warned that the Belgian squad that will face Italy on Friday in the Nations League will be very different from the one eliminated by Bosnia‑Herzegovina, thus highlighting the challenge posed by this first match of the new Italian cycle.
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This contrast between a Italy seeking recovery and a confident Belgium shows that the encounter will be a real test of the Squadra Azzurra’s ability to regain its level, before the next qualification group begins.