Mancini took office as Saudi Arabia coach today
The Saudi Arabian Football Federation did not disclose details of the agreement. But according to Italian media, Mancini signed a four-year contract with a season salary of $ 27 million. The Italian coach will hold a grand press conference in Riyadh today, August 28.
Answering the media in his home country before leaving for West Asia, Mancini said it was an honor to be invited to lead the Saudi national team and consider this a great opportunity to experience football in a new country, especially when football is playing. increasingly popular in Asia. The 58-year-old coach is convinced that the passionate football culture of Saudi Arabia and the intrinsic qualities of Saudi players will be important factors for success. He also emphasized that the wave of stars moving to the Saudi Pro League shows the development potential of this national football.
Mancini also talked about Saudi Arabia's journey at the 2022 World Cup, where they shocked when they defeated Argentina - the team then crowned the champion - with a score of 2-1 in the opening match. "They have left their mark on the global arena, made Saudi football fans proud and fueled the nation's football ambitions," he added. "We have the potential to improve further, with a strong squad and talented players. I believe Saudi Arabia has what it takes to reach if you work hard."
Mancini also posted his debut video as the head coach of Saudi Arabia on X - the social networking platform formerly known as Twitter. "I've made history in Europe, now it's time to make history with Saudi Arabia," he said.
Mancini will debut in a new position with friendly matches against Costa Rica on September 8 and then South Korea on September 12 - both at St. James' Park, England. Mancini's first big test will be in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, where Saudi Arabia will face Cambodia or Pakistan in the opening group match.
On August 13, the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) announced that it had accepted Mancini's resignation, ending his five years in charge of the national team. Under this leader, Italy won 39, drew 13, lost nine, scored 130 and conceded 49 goals, setting a record of 37 unbeaten matches.
Mancini's greatest success was the Euro 2020 championship - a tournament that took place a year late because of Covid-19, when he and Italy defeated host England 3-2 in a penalty shootout to be crowned right at Wembley. "Azzurri" also entered the Nations League final, lost to Spain in the semi-finals and then won the Netherlands 3-2 in the third place match.
Less than a week later, FIGC announced the appointment of Luciano Spalletti - coach to help Napoli win Serie A in the 2022-2023 season. The 64-year-old coach's immediate task is to help the team defend the championship when Euro 2024 takes place in Germany.
