"I'm very sorry, July 30 -- he had been wrong to go.

the players he walked away from, the federation he left to scramble for a replacement, and the supporters who watched Italy's fortunes deteriorate in the years since his departure. He said he understood what the move had cost the national team and that he intended to make it right.

Mancini led Italy to the UEFA Euro 2020 title in the summer of 2021, defeating England in the final at Wembley on penalties in what was widely considered the highpoint of Italian football's modern era. The win was built on a cohesive system and a clear identity, and it made Mancini the most celebrated Italian coach since Marcello Lippi's 2006 World Cup triumph. That reputation is what he carries back into t...