Men's football

Representing Italy (as manager)
UEFA European Championship
Winner	2020 Europe
CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions
Runner-up	2022 England
UEFA Nations League
Third	2023 Netherlands
Third	2021 Italy
Representing Italy (as player)
FIFA World Cup
Third	1990 Italy
UEFA European Championship
Third	1988 West Germany

Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.

† Appearances (Goals).

Roberto Mancini (born 27 November 1964) is a famous Italian football manager and former player. He was most recently the head coach for the Saudi Arabia national team.

As a player, Mancini was a forward who played behind the main striker. He is best known for his time at Sampdoria. There, he played over 550 matches. He helped Sampdoria win their first Serie A league title. He also won four Coppa Italia titles and the European Cup Winners' Cup. Mancini played 36 times for Italy. He took part in UEFA Euro 1988 and the 1990 FIFA World Cup. After 15 years at Sampdoria, Mancini joined Lazio. With Lazio, he won another league title and Cup Winners' Cup. He also won the UEFA Super Cup and two more Coppa Italia titles.

Mancini started his managing career at Fiorentina in 2001. He was only 36 years old. He won a Coppa Italia title there. Later, he managed Lazio and won another Coppa Italia. In 2004, Mancini became the manager of Inter Milan. He led Inter to win three league titles in a row. This was a club record. After that, he managed Manchester City from 2009. He helped City win the FA Cup in 2011. This was their first major trophy in 35 years. He also led them to their first league title in 44 years in 2012. Mancini then managed Galatasaray and won the Turkish Cup. He returned to Inter Milan for two more years. In 2018, he took charge of the Italy national football team. He guided Italy to win the European Championship in 2021. Under his leadership, Italy set a world record. They went 37 matches without losing.

Roberto Mancini: A Football Star's Journey

Roberto Mancini was born in Sliema, Malta, on 27 November 1964. He grew up in the mountain town of Roccadaspide. As a child, he was an altar boy. Mancini has said he is a believer and prays often. He thinks prayer can make the world a better place.

Playing Career Highlights

Starting at Bologna

Mancini began his professional career in 1981. He played for Bologna in Serie A, Italy's top league. He quickly showed his talent as a forward.

Becoming a Sampdoria Legend

In 1982, Mancini joined Sampdoria. He stayed there for 15 years. He became a true legend for the club. He and Gianluca Vialli formed a great attacking duo. They were called "The Goal Twins". Together, they helped Sampdoria win their only Serie A title in 1991. They also won four Coppa Italia cups. In 1990, they won the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup. Mancini also played in the 1992 European Cup Final against Barcelona. He was a very important player for Sampdoria. He even helped choose new managers and discussed player transfers.

Time at Lazio and Leicester City

In 1997, Mancini moved to Lazio. He continued his success there. He won another Serie A title in 2000. He also won two more Coppa Italia cups. In 1999, he won the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup again. He also added the UEFA Super Cup to his trophies. Mancini is one of the players with the most Coppa Italia titles (6). Towards the end of his playing days, he helped the coaching staff.

In January 2001, Mancini had a short loan spell at Leicester City in England. He played five matches in the Premier League. Even though it was a short time, he said he fell in love with English football. This experience later made him want to manage in England.

International Matches for Italy

Despite his club success, Mancini did not play for the Italian national team as often. He played for the Italy U21 team, reaching the semi-finals in 1984. He made his senior national team debut at 19 years old in 1984. He played 36 games for Italy and scored four goals.

Mancini played in UEFA Euro 1988, where Italy reached the semi-finals. He scored a goal against West Germany. He was also part of the squad for the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy. Italy finished third in that tournament. However, he did not play in any matches during the 1990 World Cup. His international career ended after a disagreement with the national coach.

Roberto Mancini's Playing Style

Mancini was a very creative and skilled forward. He often played as a second striker or an attacking midfielder. He was known for his vision and passing. He could set up many goals for his teammates. He was also good at scoring himself. Mancini was an elegant and skillful player. He had great ball control and dribbling skills.

He was also a strong leader on the field. He would often talk to his teammates and motivate them. He was known for his tactical intelligence. Many consider him one of the best Italian players of his time.

Roberto Mancini: The Manager

Early Coaching Days

Mancini started his managing career at Fiorentina in 2001. He was only 36. He quickly won the Coppa Italia with them. The next season, he became manager of Lazio. He led Lazio to win another Coppa Italia in 2004.

Dominating with Inter Milan

Mancini pictured in 2004 as Inter Milan manager

In 2004, Mancini took over as manager of Inter Milan. He brought great success to the club. In his first season, Inter won the Coppa Italia. They beat Roma in the final. In 2006, Inter won the Coppa Italia and the Italian Super Cup again.

After a big scandal in Italian football, Inter was awarded the 2006 league title. Mancini then led Inter to a record-breaking run. They won 17 league games in a row in the 2006–07 season. Inter won their second league title in a row with five games left. They finished with an amazing 97 points. Mancini became only the third Inter coach to win back-to-back league titles. He added a third league title in a row in 2008. Despite this success, Inter struggled in the UEFA Champions League. This led to him leaving the club in 2008.

Success at Manchester City

Mancini as Manchester City manager in 2010

In December 2009, Mancini became the manager of Manchester City. The club had new, wealthy owners who wanted to win trophies. Mancini's arrival quickly improved the team. In his first season, City finished fifth in the Premier League. This was their highest finish at the time.

In the 2010–11 season, Mancini bought new star players like David Silva and Yaya Touré. City had a strong season. They won the FA Cup in May 2011. This was City's first major trophy in 35 years! This win ended the club's long wait for a trophy. City also finished third in the league, qualifying for the UEFA Champions League.

Mancini (left), Samir Nasri and Sergio Agüero with the Premier League trophy during Manchester City's victory parade, May 2012

The 2011–12 season was even better. City started very strong, winning 12 of their first 14 games. They even beat Manchester United 6–1 at Old Trafford. City led the league for most of the season. On the very last day, City won the Premier League title in a thrilling 3–2 comeback against Queens Park Rangers. This was City's first league title in 44 years! Mancini became only the second Italian manager to win the Premier League.

In the 2012–13 season, City won the 2012 FA Community Shield. However, they were knocked out of the Champions League early. They also lost the Premier League title to Manchester United. Mancini was sacked in May 2013, two days after losing the 2013 FA Cup Final.

Managing Galatasaray and Return to Inter

Mancini managing Galatasaray in 2013

In September 2013, Mancini signed a three-year contract with Turkish club Galatasaray. He led them to the last 16 of the Champions League. He also won the Turkish Cup in his only season there. In June 2014, he left Galatasaray by agreement.

In November 2014, Mancini made a surprise return to Inter Milan. He managed the team for two more years. He left Inter again in August 2016.

Zenit Saint Petersburg and Italy National Team

In June 2017, Mancini became manager of Zenit Saint Petersburg in Russia. He left the club in May 2018.

Mancini managing the Italy national team in 2021

In May 2018, Mancini was appointed manager of the Italy national team. Italy had failed to qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Mancini's goal was to rebuild the team. He brought in former teammates as assistants. He also gave chances to many young players.

Under Mancini, Italy started winning again. In October 2019, Italy qualified for UEFA Euro 2020 easily. They won all ten of their qualifying matches. In June 2021, Italy won all three group games at Euro 2020 without letting in a goal. On 26 June 2021, Italy set a new record. They went 31 matches unbeaten, breaking an old record. On 11 July, Mancini led Italy to a thrilling victory. They beat England in the final at Wembley. Italy won their second European Championship title!

On 5 September 2021, Italy extended their unbeaten run to 36 matches. This broke the world record of 35 set by Brazil and Spain. The streak reached 37 matches. However, it ended in October 2021. Sadly, Italy then failed to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. This was the second World Cup in a row they missed. Mancini resigned from the national team in August 2023.

Saudi Arabia National Team

In August 2023, Mancini became the head coach of the Saudi Arabia national team. He managed them in the 2023 AFC Asian Cup knockout stage. They lost to South Korea on penalties in the round of 16. In October 2024, Mancini and the Saudi Arabian Football Federation agreed to end his contract. This was due to disappointing results in World Cup qualifiers.

Roberto Mancini's Management Style

Mancini in 2010

As a manager, Mancini focuses a lot on defense. He believes that if your team doesn't let in goals, you always have a chance to win. He once said, "I like 1–0 wins." He thinks a strong defense is key to winning trophies. At Manchester City, he made the defense much stronger. In his first full season, City let in the fewest goals in the league.

Mancini is also known for managing pressure. When Manchester City was behind in the 2011–12 season, he publicly said the title race was over. But privately, he believed they could still win. This helped take pressure off his players. City then won their last six games and won the league on goal difference.

With the Italy national team, Mancini used a 4–3–3 formation. He created a "winning machine" that played attractive, attacking football. His team scored a record 37 goals in Euro 2020 qualifiers. They also scored 13 goals in the Euro 2020 tournament itself. He also gave many young players a chance to play for the national team.

Personal Life

Roberto Mancini is married to Federica Morelli. They have two sons, Filippo and Andrea, and a daughter, Camilla. Both Filippo and Andrea have played football in youth teams. They even trained with Manchester City's youth team when their father was manager. Mancini is known for wearing a scarf in his club's colors. He has even joked about watching the TV show Coronation Street to help his English.

Career Statistics

Club Appearances

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club	Season	League			National Cup		Continental		Total
Club	Season	Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Bologna	1981–82	Serie A	30	9	1	0	—		31	9
Sampdoria	1982–83	Serie A	22	4	5	1	—		27	5
	1983–84	Serie A	30	8	8	2	—		38	10
	1984–85	Serie A	24	3	11	3	—		35	6
	1985–86	Serie A	23	6	11	4	4	2	38	12
	1986–87	Serie A	26	6	5	0	—		31	6
	1987–88	Serie A	30	5	13	3	—		43	8
	1988–89	Serie A	29	9	11	5	8	0	48	14
	1989–90	Serie A	31	11	4	2	9	2	44	15
	1990–91	Serie A	30	12	10	2	7	2	47	16
	1991–92	Serie A	29	6	7	3	9	4	45	13
	1992–93	Serie A	30	15	2	0	—		32	15
	1993–94	Serie A	30	12	7	0	—		37	12
	1994–95	Serie A	31	9	3	1	4	2	38	12
	1995–96	Serie A	26	11	2	1	—		28	12
	1996–97	Serie A	33	15	2	0	—		35	15
	Total		424	132	101	27	19	12	566	168
Lazio	1997–98	Serie A	34	5	8	1	10	3	52	9
	1998–99	Serie A	33	10	7	2	7	0	47	12
	1999–2000	Serie A	20	0	7	3	10	0	37	3
	Total		87	15	22	6	27	3	136	24
Leicester City (loan)	2000–01	Premier League	4	0	1	0	—		5	0
Career total			545	156	125	33	46	15	738	201

International Appearances

Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Italy	1984	2	0
	1986	1	0
	1987	6	0
	1988	9	1
	1989	1	0
	1990	3	0
	1991	6	0
	1992	1	0
	1993	6	3
	1994	1	0
Total		36	4

Scores and results list Italy's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Mancini goal.

List of international goals scored by Roberto Mancini
No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	10 June 1988	Rheinstadion, Düsseldorf, West Germany	Germany	1–0	1–1	UEFA Euro 1988
2	24 March 1993	Stadio Renzo Barbera, Palermo, Italy	Malta	4–0	6–1	1994 FIFA World Cup qualification
3	24 March 1993	Stadio Renzo Barbera, Palermo, Italy	Malta	6–1	6–1	1994 FIFA World Cup qualification
4	22 September 1993	Kadrioru Stadium, Tallinn, Estonia	Estonia	2–0	3–0	1994 FIFA World Cup qualification

Managerial Statistics

Managerial record by team and tenure
Team	From	To	Record
Team	From	To	G	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Win %
Fiorentina	26 February 2001	14 January 2002	&&&&&&&&&&&&&043.&&&&&043	&&&&&&&&&&&&&012.&&&&&012	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&09.&&&&&09	&&&&&&&&&&&&&022.&&&&&022	&&&&&&&&&&&&&049.&&&&&049	&&&&&&&&&&&&&074.&&&&&074	−25	&&&&&&&&&&&&&027.91000027.91
Lazio	9 May 2002	14 June 2004	&&&&&&&&&&&&0102.&&&&&0102	&&&&&&&&&&&&&049.&&&&&049	&&&&&&&&&&&&&032.&&&&&032	&&&&&&&&&&&&&021.&&&&&021	&&&&&&&&&&&&0160.&&&&&0160	&&&&&&&&&&&&0102.&&&&&0102	+58	&&&&&&&&&&&&&048.&4000048.04
Inter Milan	7 July 2004	29 May 2008	&&&&&&&&&&&&0226.&&&&&0226	&&&&&&&&&&&&0140.&&&&&0140	&&&&&&&&&&&&&060.&&&&&060	&&&&&&&&&&&&&026.&&&&&026	&&&&&&&&&&&&0404.&&&&&0404	&&&&&&&&&&&&0189.&&&&&0189	+215	&&&&&&&&&&&&&061.95000061.95
Manchester City	19 December 2009	13 May 2013	&&&&&&&&&&&&0191.&&&&&0191	&&&&&&&&&&&&0113.&&&&&0113	&&&&&&&&&&&&&038.&&&&&038	&&&&&&&&&&&&&040.&&&&&040	&&&&&&&&&&&&0361.&&&&&0361	&&&&&&&&&&&&0176.&&&&&0176	+185	&&&&&&&&&&&&&059.16000059.16
Galatasaray	30 September 2013	11 June 2014	&&&&&&&&&&&&&046.&&&&&046	&&&&&&&&&&&&&024.&&&&&024	&&&&&&&&&&&&&013.&&&&&013	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&09.&&&&&09	&&&&&&&&&&&&&082.&&&&&082	&&&&&&&&&&&&&047.&&&&&047	+35	&&&&&&&&&&&&&052.17000052.17
Inter Milan	14 November 2014	8 August 2016	&&&&&&&&&&&&&077.&&&&&077	&&&&&&&&&&&&&036.&&&&&036	&&&&&&&&&&&&&018.&&&&&018	&&&&&&&&&&&&&023.&&&&&023	&&&&&&&&&&&&0110.&&&&&0110	&&&&&&&&&&&&&085.&&&&&085	+25	&&&&&&&&&&&&&046.75000046.75
Zenit Saint Petersburg	1 June 2017	13 May 2018	&&&&&&&&&&&&&045.&&&&&045	&&&&&&&&&&&&&022.&&&&&022	&&&&&&&&&&&&&013.&&&&&013	&&&&&&&&&&&&&010.&&&&&010	&&&&&&&&&&&&&074.&&&&&074	&&&&&&&&&&&&&035.&&&&&035	+39	&&&&&&&&&&&&&048.89000048.89
Italy	15 May 2018	13 August 2023	&&&&&&&&&&&&&061.&&&&&061	&&&&&&&&&&&&&037.&&&&&037	&&&&&&&&&&&&&015.&&&&&015	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&09.&&&&&09	&&&&&&&&&&&&0123.&&&&&0123	&&&&&&&&&&&&&045.&&&&&045	+78	&&&&&&&&&&&&&060.66000060.66
Saudi Arabia	27 August 2023	24 October 2024	&&&&&&&&&&&&&020.&&&&&020	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&08.&&&&&08	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&07.&&&&&07	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&05.&&&&&05	&&&&&&&&&&&&&025.&&&&&025	&&&&&&&&&&&&&017.&&&&&017	+8	&&&&&&&&&&&&&040.&&&&&040.00
Total			&&&&&&&&&&&&0811.&&&&&0811	&&&&&&&&&&&&0441.&&&&&0441	&&&&&&&&&&&&0205.&&&&&0205	&&&&&&&&&&&&0165.&&&&&0165	&&&&&&&&&&&01388.&&&&&01,388	&&&&&&&&&&&&0770.&&&&&0770	+618	&&&&&&&&&&&&&054.38000054.38

Honours and Awards

As a Player

Sampdoria

Serie A: 1990–91
Coppa Italia: 1984–85, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1993–94
Supercoppa Italiana: 1991
European Cup Winners' Cup: 1989–90
European Cup runner-up: 1991–92

Lazio

Serie A: 1999–2000
Coppa Italia: 1997–98, 1999–2000
Supercoppa Italiana: 1998
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: 1998–99
UEFA Super Cup: 1999

Italy National Team

FIFA World Cup third place: 1990
UEFA European Championship third place: 1988

Individual Awards

Guerin d'Oro: 1987–88, 1990–91
Serie A Footballer of the Year: 1996–97
Serie A Italian Footballer of the Year: 1996–97
Golden Foot: 2017 (as a football legend)

As a Manager

Fiorentina

Coppa Italia: 2000–01