The Italian Football Federation has recalled Roberto Mancini as national team head coach in a second appointment. This decision follows Gennaro Gattuso's departure in April, which came after Italy's failure to qualify for the World Cup for a third consecutive tournament cycle.

Mancini's reappointment was expedited after Andrea Pirlo, who had been selected to replace Gattuso, withdrew his candidacy on Monday following public scrutiny of his business connections to a Russian gambling firm. Federation president Giovanni Malago stated that Mancini represented the federation's preferred choice to lead the national side.