KEIR RADNEDGE REPORTING —- The latest Saudi Arabian swoop on European football is the appointment of Roberto Mancini as national team coach.

Mancini suddenly quit as Italy boss two weeks ago and is the first major European coach carried away by the Saudis’ financial assault on world football.

The 58-year-old will be expected to take the national team to the next level after its dramatic showing at the World Cup finals last November and December in Qatar when they defeated eventual champions Argentina in their opening match.

Mancini scored four goals in 36 appearances for Italy between 1984 and 1994 and won 13 major national and international trophies with Sampdoria and Lazio. Subsequently he embarked on a successful coaching career – winning three Serie A titles with Internazionale as well as two Coppa Italia crowns plus repeats with Fiorentina and Lazio.

He led Galatasaray to the Turkish cup in 2014 and then moved to England where he led Manchester City to the FA Cup in 2011 and Premier League a year later.

Subsequently Mancini was appointed national coach by Italy whom he led to success on penalties against England at Wembley in the European Championship final in 2021. His star faded fast after Italy failed to qualify for last year’s World Cup finals.

Mancini, who has signed a 4-year contract as manager of the Green Falcons, said: “I am immensely honoured to be offered the position as Saudi Arabia 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.

Top players

“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 whole world recognises the enormous potential of the Saudi Arabia national team during their outstanding performance at the World Cup. The scenes of the fans following that victory was 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.”

Newcastle host

Mancini’s first matches in charge will be against Costa Rica and South Korea in friendlies on September 8 and 12 respectively. Both matches will be staged at St James’ Park, Newcastle, where the host club fell under Saudi ownership in October 2021.

The matches serve as part of preparations for the 2026 World Cup Asian qualifying competition which begins in in November.

Saudi federation President Yasser Al Misehal said: “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.

“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.”

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