Roberto Mancini has openly admitted that leaving his position as the head coach of the Italian national team to join Saudi Arabia was a significant error in judgment.
The experienced tactician, who was recently dismissed by the Saudi Arabian Football Federation following a disappointing run in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, reflected on his career decisions in an interview with Il Giornale.
Softfootball learned that Mancini expressed deep regret over the breakdown in communication with the Italian Football Federation, stating that he would have chosen to stay if he had handled the situation differently.
He noted that the mutual trust between him and the federation had been undermined, leading to a lack of serenity that made coaching difficult.
Mancini emphasized that when confidence wavers, it becomes nearly impossible to work effectively, and he reproached himself for not addressing these issues more clearly at the time.
He highlighted that his relationship with FIGC president Gabriele Gravina was always based on respect, but acknowledged that crucial conversations were missed.
The former Manchester City manager believes that open dialogue could have prevented his departure, and he now views the move to the Middle East as a misstep that disrupted his professional stability and personal satisfaction in the role.
