Roberto Mancini was appointed coach of the Saudi Arabia nationwide group on Sunday, simply two weeks after the European Championship-winning supervisor surprisingly left his job answerable for Italy.
The Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) stated the Italian has been given a four-year contract. His first matches in cost might be towards Costa Rica on Sept. 8 and South Korea 4 days later — each are pleasant video games and can happen at Newcastle.
SAFF posted a video on social media with clips of Mancini. In it, he says: “I made history in Europe, now it’s time to make history with Saudi.”
Italian media reported that Mancini’s contract is value 25 million euros ($27 million) a yr and that the 58-year-old might be introduced to the media at a news convention on Monday.
Mancini is the most recent massive title to turn into a part of Saudi’s soccer revolution. Clubs from the oil-rich kingdom splashed the money within the offseason on numerous star soccer gamers amid continued issues from human rights organizations which argue that Saudi Arabia makes use of sports activities for public-relations functions.
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“I am immensely honoured to be offered the position as Saudi Arabia national team manager,” Mancini stated. “I believe this is a great opportunity for me, to experience football in a new country, especially with the growing popularity of football in Asia.
“I firmly believe that the passionate footballing culture of Saudi Arabia and the intrinsic quality of Saudi players are crucial ingredients for success. The presence of top players in the Saudi Pro League indicates the potential for growth in the national football scene.”
Mancini surprised Italian soccer when he stop as nationwide group coach earlier this month, ending an up-and-down tenure with the nationwide group that included a European Championship title in 2021 but in addition a failed qualification for final yr’s World Cup.
He was changed by Luciano Spalletti, who led Napoli to the Serie A title final season.
Mancini additionally gained three straight Serie A titles with Inter Milan — from 2005 to 2008 — in addition to steering Manchester City to the Premier League crown in 2012.
“We are delighted to welcome Roberto Mancini to lead the Green Falcons,” SAFF President Yasser Al Misehal stated. “His experience and proven track record at club and international level marks a significant step towards achieving our goals in international football.
“Roberto believes in Saudi football and our desire to develop top competitive players and take them to new heights on the world stage — including the Asian Cup in Qatar and qualification for the 2026 World Cup … We’re a footballing nation and we (are) continuing to invest at every level in our journey to compete with the best in the world on and off the pitch.”
The Asian Cup, hosted by defending champion Qatar, begins in January. The Saudis, who will host the match in 2027, are drawn in a gaggle with Kyrgyzstan, Oman and Thailand.
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Before that, there are two World Cup qualifiers in November — towards Jordan and both Cambodia or Pakistan. Tajikistan can also be in Group G.
Players within the Saudi nationwide group now have the possibility to coach and play with a slew of world stars like Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema lured to the multi-billion greenback challenge that the Saudi Pro League has turn into.
Saudi Arabia completed fourth in its group eventually yr’s World Cup however triggered one of many largest upsets within the match’s historical past when it beat eventual champion Argentina in its opener.
“The whole world recognizes the enormous potential of the Saudi Arabia national team during their outstanding performance at the World Cup,” Mancini stated. “The scenes of the fans following that victory were immense.
“They left their mark on the global stage, filling Saudi Arabian football fans with immense pride and accelerating the nation’s footballing ambitions. We have the potential to improve further. The squad is strong with talented players. I believe we have what it takes to elevate our game if we work hard.”
The friendlies towards Costa Rica and South Korea might be at St. James’ Park, the stadium of Premier League group Newcastle whose majority proprietor is the Public Investment Fund that manages $700 billion of Saudi sovereign wealth.
