Roberto Mancini appointed as head coach of Saudi Arabia national football team

Roberto Mancini has been appointed as the head coach of the Saudi Arabia national football team on Sunday, August 27. He got this job just two weeks after resigning as the coach of the Italy national football team. The Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) stated that Mancini has signed a four-year contract with them.

Mancini’s first match as Saudi Arabia coach will be on September 8 against Costa Rica, and the second match will be four days after that, on September 12 against South Korea. Both of these fixtures are friendlies and these games will take place at Newcastle.

According to Italian media, Mancini’s contract is worth 25 million euros ($27 million) a year and the 58-year-old will be presented to the media at a news conference on Monday. The 58-year-old has won three consecutive Serie A titles with Inter Milan (from 2005 to 2008) and one title with Manchester City in 2012.

We are delighted to welcome Roberto Mancini to lead the Green Falcons: Yasser Al Misehal

“I am immensely honoured to be offered the position of Saudi Arabia’s national team manager. 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,” Mancini was quoted as saying on Sportstar.

“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,” the 58-year-old asserted.

“We are delighted to welcome Roberto Mancini to lead the Green Falcons. His experience and proven track record at club and international level marks a significant step towards achieving our goals in international football,” SAFF President Yasser Al Misehal was quoted as saying.

“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 49-year-old stated.