Roberto Mancini appointed Saudi Arabia coach: Decoding his stats
Roberto Mancini has been named as the new Saudi Arabia coach only two weeks after he stepped down as Italy's head coach. The 58-year-old tactician will be a welcome addition to the Asian outfit as he has a wealth of experience and led Italy to the Euros 2020 title. Mancini has signed a four-year contract, and his first game will be against Costa Rica.
It is a great opportunity for me: Mancini
Mancini feels that this is an excellent opportunity. He also acknowledged the growth in popularity of the Saudi Pro League. "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 said. "The presence of top players in the SPL indicates growth in the national football scene," he added.
A look at Mancini's managerial career (1/2)
After turning into a manager, Mancini managed Fiorentina in 43 games and won only 12 times. He joined Lazio and led them to 49 victories from 102 games. Mancini then joined Inter, where he won 140 matches out of 226. He managed Manchester City in 191 games and won 113 of them. He then moved to Galatasaray and won 24 games out of 46.
A look at Mancini's managerial career (2/2)
Mancini moved back to Inter from Galatasaray to lead them in 36 wins out of 77 games. In 2017, he moved to Russia to join Zenit St. Petersburg and managed 45 matches. The Italian tactician registered 22 victories. He then decided to manage the Italy national team and won 37 games for the Azzurri out of the 61 matches that he led.
A look at his stats for Italy
The 58-year-old tactician managed Italy from May 2018 to August 2023. In these five years, he managed 61 matches and guided the Azzurri to 37 wins. Mancini also got outwitted nine times while they played out 15 draws. He had an impressive 60.66 win percentage. Under him Italy scored 123 goals and conceded only 45, proving his exceptional defensive organization.
Longest International unbeaten streak
Mancini's Italy scripted the longest international unbeaten run when they remained unbeaten in 37 consecutive games. Italy broke Brazil and Spain's previous joint record of 35 matches unbeaten, with their 0-0 draw against Switzerland (2021). The run consisted of 30 wins and seven draws, with 93 goals scored, and just 12 conceded. Argentina also came close with an unbeaten streak of 36 games.
Highs and lows in Mancini's Italy regime
The tactician guided Italy to the Euros 2020 title as they defeated England in the finals. They won all their group-stage clashes before acing the knockouts. They won two consecutive penalty shootouts in the semis and the finals. On the other hand, the Azzuri also failed to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. They lost 1-0 against North Macedonia which shattered their dreams.
Mancini will be eyeing the AFC Asian Cup next year
The Italian's first big assignment will be the upcoming 2023 AFC Asian Cup, which will happen in Qatar next year in January. Saudi Arabia have won the continental crown three times (1984, 1988, 1996). Mancini will look to end their long wait for the trophy. If the Green Falcons win the trophy they will be at par with Japan, who have four continental crowns.
Mancini has tasted a lot of success as manager
Mancini won the 2000-01 Coppa Italia with Fiorentina. He won the Coppa Italia (2003-04) again with Lazio. He clinched three Serie A titles (2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08), two Coppa Italia honors (2004-05, 2005-06), and two Supercoppa Italiana trophies (2005,2006) with Inter Milan. At City, he won the Premier League (2011-12), FA Cup (2010-11), and Community Shield (2012). He won the Turkish Cup (2013-14) with Galatasaray.
A European title and two Nations League third-place finishes
As an International manager, Mancini is equally successful as he won the Euros 2020 title with Italy. The Azzurri won that tournament completely unscathed. They also had two third-place finishes in the UEFA Nations League (2020-21, 2022-23).
