Roberto Mancini facts for kids
Mancini in 2024
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Roberto Mancini | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 27 November 1964 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Jesi, Italy | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Forward, attacking midfielder | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1980–1982 | Bologna | 30 | (9) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1982–1997 | Sampdoria | 424 | (132) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1997–2001 | Lazio | 87 | (15) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2001 | → Leicester City (loan) | 4 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 545 | (156) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1982–1986 | Italy U21 | 26 | (9) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1984–1994 | Italy | 36 | (4) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Managerial career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2001–2002 | Fiorentina | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2002–2004 | Lazio | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2004–2008 | Inter Milan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009–2013 | Manchester City | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2013–2014 | Galatasaray | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2014–2016 | Inter Milan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2017–2018 | Zenit Saint Petersburg | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2018–2023 | Italy | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2023–2024 | Saudi Arabia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Roberto Mancini (born 27 November 1964) is a famous Italian football manager and former player. He was most recently the coach for the Saudi Arabia national team.
As a player, Mancini was known as a creative forward. He spent most of his career at Sampdoria, playing over 550 matches. He helped Sampdoria win their first Serie A league title, four Coppa Italia cups, and the European Cup Winners' Cup. He also played 36 times for Italy, taking part in UEFA Euro 1988 and the 1990 FIFA World Cup.
Mancini started his coaching career at Fiorentina in 2001. He then managed Lazio before joining Inter Milan in 2004. With Inter, he won three Serie A titles in a row. Later, he became the manager of Manchester City in 2009. He led City to win the FA Cup in 2011 and their first league title in 44 years in 2012. 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 of 37 matches without defeat.
Contents
Early Life and Beliefs
Roberto Mancini was born in Jesi, Italy, on 27 November 1964. He grew up in the mountain town of Roccadaspide. As a young boy, he was an altar boy in his church. Mancini has said that he is a believer and prays often. He believes that "The world would be a better place if everyone practiced the art of praying."
Playing Career Highlights
Sampdoria Success
Mancini started his professional career at Bologna in 1981. The next year, Sampdoria bought him for £2.2 million. He played for Sampdoria until 1997. At Sampdoria, he formed a great partnership with Gianluca Vialli. They were called "The Goal Twins" because they scored so many goals together.
With Vialli, Mancini helped Sampdoria win their only league title in 1991. They also won four Coppa Italia cups and a Cup Winners' Cup in 1990. He also played in the final of the 1991–92 European Cup against Barcelona. Mancini was a very important player for Sampdoria. He often gave team talks and had a say in new player transfers.
Lazio and Leicester City
After 15 years at Sampdoria, Mancini joined Lazio in 1997. With Lazio, he won another league title and a Cup Winners' Cup. He also won two more Coppa Italia cups and the UEFA Super Cup. In the 1999–00 season, Lazio won the league and the Coppa Italia. Mancini then decided to retire from playing. He joined Lazio's coaching staff as an assistant.
In January 2001, Mancini briefly joined Leicester City on loan. He played five games in the Premier League. He left early to become a manager at Fiorentina. However, he said his time at Leicester City made him love English football. This feeling later led him to accept the job at Manchester City.
International Appearances
Even though Mancini was very successful with his clubs, he did not play for the Italy national team very often. He played for the Italy Under-21 team, reaching the semi-finals in 1984 and finishing second in 1986.
He made his senior national team debut at 19 in 1984. He played 36 games for Italy and scored four goals. Mancini was a starting player at UEFA Euro 1988, where Italy reached the semi-finals. He scored a goal against West Germany in that tournament. He was also part of the Italian squad that finished third at the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy. However, he did not play in any matches during the 1990 World Cup.
Mancini's international career ended after a disagreement with the national team coach, Arrigo Sacchi. Mancini was not guaranteed a starting spot for the 1994 FIFA World Cup. There was strong competition from other talented forwards like Roberto Baggio and Gianfranco Zola.
Mancini's Playing Style
Mancini was a very creative and skilled forward. He often played as a supporting striker or an attacking midfielder. He was known for his vision, accurate passing, and ability to score goals. He could also set up many goals for his teammates. Mancini was also good at heading the ball and scoring spectacular volleys.
He was an elegant and skillful player with great ball control and dribbling skills. Mancini was also very smart tactically and showed strong leadership. He was often a loud presence on the field, organizing his teammates. He was also known for working hard to defend, even though he was an attacking player. Many people consider Mancini one of the best Italian players of his time.
Managerial Career
Early Coaching Days
Mancini started as a manager at Fiorentina in 2001. He was only 36 years old. Fiorentina had money problems, and Mancini sometimes worked without pay. Despite these challenges, he managed to win the Coppa Italia. He left Fiorentina in January 2002.
In May 2002, Mancini became the manager of Lazio. Again, he faced financial limits and had to sell important players. Still, in his first season, Lazio finished 4th in Serie A. In 2003–04, Lazio won the Coppa Italia. In July 2004, Mancini left Lazio to join Inter Milan.
Inter Milan Success
Mancini took over Inter Milan on 7 July 2004. Under him, Inter Milan won their first major trophy since 1989. Inter became the top team in Italy. In Mancini's first season, Inter won the Coppa Italia.
In August 2005, Inter won the Italian Super Cup. In 2006, Inter won the Coppa Italia and the Italian Super Cup again. After a big scandal in Italian football, Juventus lost their league title, and it was given to Inter Milan. Inter then had an amazing run of 17 wins in a row in Serie A. This is one of the best runs in European football history. Inter won a second league title with five games left to play, losing only one league game all season. They finished with a record 97 points.
Mancini became only the third coach in Inter Milan's history to win back-to-back league titles. He added a third straight Serie A title in 2008. However, Inter struggled in the UEFA Champions League. They were knocked out early in both 2007 and 2008. Because of this, Inter's owner was not happy. Mancini was sacked on 29 May 2008.
Manchester City Era
Building a Winning Team
On 19 December 2009, Mancini became the manager of Manchester City. City had new, wealthy owners who wanted to invest a lot in the team. Mancini's arrival quickly improved City's performance, with four wins in a row.
City reached the League Cup semi-finals but lost to Manchester United. In the Premier League, City finished fifth, their highest finish at the time.
First Trophies
Mancini spent a lot of money on new players in the summer of 2010. He signed players like David Silva, Yaya Touré, and Aleksandar Kolarov. The 2010–11 Premier League season had mixed results. City stayed in the top four positions for most of the season. Mancini won the Premier League Manager of the Month award for December.
City was knocked out of the Europa League in March. However, they bounced back strongly. They won eight of their next ten matches, including an FA Cup semi-final against Manchester United. In May, City won the FA Cup by beating Stoke City 1–0 in the final. This was City's first major trophy in 35 years. City finished third in the league, qualifying for the Champions League.
Premier League Champions
In the summer of 2011, City bought Sergio Agüero and Samir Nasri. City started the Premier League season very well, winning 12 of their first 14 games. They scored many goals and were undefeated, leading the league by five points in December. Mancini's team also beat Manchester United 6–1 at Old Trafford, which was United's worst loss since 1955.
City struggled in the Champions League and did not move past the group stage. On 13 May 2012, City won the Premier League title in a dramatic 3–2 comeback win against Queens Park Rangers. They were losing 2–1 in injury time but scored two late goals to win. Mancini became the second Italian manager to win a Premier League title.
Final Season at City
In July 2012, Mancini signed a new five-year deal with Manchester City. City started the new season by winning the 2012 FA Community Shield against Chelsea. However, City exited the Champions League at the group stage for the second season in a row.
City finished second in the Premier League in 2012–13, behind Manchester United. On 11 May, Manchester City lost to Wigan Athletic 1–0 in the 2013 FA Cup Final. Two days later, on 14 May, Mancini was sacked as manager of Manchester City. The club wanted a manager who would focus more on developing young players.
Galatasaray and Second Inter Spell
On 30 September 2013, Mancini signed a three-year contract with Turkish club Galatasaray. In the Champions League, Galatasaray drew with Juventus and then beat them 1–0 to reach the last 16. This was something he could not do with Manchester City. In May 2014, Galatasaray won the Turkish Cup. Mancini left the club in June 2014 by mutual agreement.
On 14 November 2014, Mancini made a surprise return to Inter Milan. His first game back was a 1–1 draw against rivals AC Milan. He left Inter again on 8 August 2016.
Zenit Saint Petersburg
On 1 June 2017, Mancini was appointed manager of Zenit Saint Petersburg in Russia. He left the club on 13 May 2018.
Leading the Italy National Team
Mancini became the manager of the Italy national team on 14 May 2018. Italy had failed to qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, which was a big disappointment. Mancini aimed to rebuild the team.
He brought in assistants who had played with him at Sampdoria, like Gianluca Vialli. Mancini's team included players from smaller towns, not just big cities. On 12 October 2019, Italy qualified for Euro 2020 with three games to spare. They won all their Euro 2020 qualifying matches, setting a record of 10 wins in a single year. In May 2021, Mancini's contract was extended until June 2026.
In June 2021, Italy won all three group stage matches at UEFA Euro 2020 without letting in a single goal. On 26 June 2021, Italy set a new record of 31 matches unbeaten under Mancini. On 11 July, Mancini led Italy to a 3–2 victory on penalties over England in the final at Wembley. This was Italy's second European Championship title. On 5 September 2021, Italy extended their unbeaten run to 36 matches, breaking the world record. The streak ended the next month with a loss to Spain.
On 24 March 2022, Italy lost to North Macedonia in the World Cup play-offs. This meant Italy failed to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, missing the tournament for the second time in a row. Mancini resigned from the national team on 13 August 2023.
Saudi Arabia National Team
Mancini was appointed head coach of the Saudi Arabia national team on 27 August 2023. His contract was set to run until 2027. He managed the team through the 2023 AFC Asian Cup knockout stage. They lost to South Korea 4–2 on penalties in the round of 16.
Mancini was criticized for leaving the field early during the penalty shootout against South Korea. He walked down the tunnel after Saudi Arabia missed their second penalty. He later apologized, saying he thought the game was over. On 24 October 2024, Mancini and the Saudi Arabian Football Federation agreed to end his contract. This followed disappointing results in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification.
Mancini's Coaching Style
Even though Mancini was an attacking player, as a coach he focused a lot on defense. He believed that if a team does not let in goals, they always have a chance to win. He once said, "I like 1–0 wins. When you don't concede a goal and you have players like Edin Džeko, Carlos Tevez or David Silva, you win 90%."
At Manchester City, Mancini made the defense much stronger. In his first full season, City let in the fewest goals in the Premier League. His teams became known for being well-organized and hard to beat.
Mancini was also known for using the media to take pressure off his players. For example, in the 2011–12 season, when City was behind Manchester United in the league, Mancini publicly said the title race was over. But privately, he believed City could still win. This helped his players relax and perform better. City then won their last six league matches and won the title on goal difference.
When coaching the Italy national team, Mancini often used a 4–3–3 formation. He became known for creating a "winning machine" that also played attractive, attacking football. His team scored a record 37 goals in the Euro 2020 qualifying matches, winning all ten games. He also gave chances to many young players, even before they had played in Italy's top league.
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 in youth teams, including for Manchester City's under-21 youth team.
Mancini has joked that he watched the TV show Coronation Street to help him learn English. He also has a tradition of wearing a scarf in his club's colors.
Honours
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
Lazio
- Serie A: 1999–2000
- Coppa Italia: 1997–98, 1999–2000
- Supercoppa Italiana: 1998
- UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: 1998–99
- UEFA Super Cup: 1999
Manager
Fiorentina
- Coppa Italia: 2000–01
Lazio
- Coppa Italia: 2003–04
Inter Milan
- Serie A: 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08
- Coppa Italia: 2004–05, 2005–06
- Supercoppa Italiana: 2005, 2006
Manchester City
- Premier League: 2011–12
- FA Cup: 2010–11
- FA Community Shield: 2012
Galatasaray
- Turkish Cup: 2013–14
Italy
Images for kids
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Mancini in 2024
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Mancini pictured in 2004 as Inter Milan manager
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Mancini as Manchester City manager in 2010
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Mancini (left), Samir Nasri and Sergio Agüero with the Premier League trophy during Manchester City's victory parade, May 2012
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Mancini managing Galatasaray in 2013
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Mancini managing the Italy national team in 2021
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Mancini in 2010
See also
In Spanish: Roberto Mancini para niños
