Official | Roberto Mancini appointed new Azzurri manager

FILE - in this Thursday, March 8, 2018 file photo, Zenit St. Petersburg manager Roberto Mancini looks up prior to the Europa League round of sixteen first leg soccer match between RB Leipzig and FC Zenit St. Petersburg in Leipzig, Germany. Roberto Mancini is the top candidate to become Italy's coach after Carlo Ancelotti reportedly turned down the job. Mancini tells RAI state radio, "There has not been contact with the (Italian football) federation but for a coaching the Italian national team would be source of honor and prestige." Italian media reported over the weekend that Ancelotti informed the federation that he was no longer interested. (AP Photo/Jens Meyer, File)

May 14, 2018

The Italian Football Federation have announced Roberto Mancini as the new manager of the national team.

The last head coach, Gian Piero Ventura, was fired following the disastrous qualifying campaign and missing out on the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

At his introductory press conference this morning, Mancini said “I want to take Italy to the top of the world and Europe. The Nations League, the first important commitment, starts soon. I hope to bring the national team back to high levels. With hard work, we can do it.”

“There are a lot of players in Italy, even in difficult times, we can find players with quality. We’ll certainly talk with Mario [Balotelli] and we’ll probably bring him.”

Mancini’s contract is reportedly a short-term deal but “there will be an automatic extension in the case of qualification for the Euros.”