An adventure that lasted from 14 May 2018 to 13 August 2023. Such was the commitment on the blue bench of Roberto Mancini who surprisingly resigned this morning, a few days after his appointment as coordinator of the blue national teams. After having won 13 trophies as a coach, on 14 May 2018 Mancini decided to accept the proposal from the FIGC, called to start a new cycle after the bankruptcy management of Giampiero Ventura and the failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup. Jesi (Ancona) is dated May 28, 2018, two weeks after his official arrival. The path in blue begins with a 2-1 success in a friendly against Saudi Arabia in St. Gallen.
Victories and defeats
The first Nations League 2018-19 is the test for a two-year record: the knockout in Lisbon with Portugal on 10 September is the last until 6 October 2021, with the record of 37 useful games becoming the longest streak of all time for a national team, better than Brazil did (35 between 1993 and 1996). A team is born that becomes invincible: in Genk, Politano’s goal in the 94th minute folds the United States and starts the series of 11 consecutive victories, up to the round success with Armenia in Palermo in November 2019 (the last match before the Covid), a new blue record that exceeds the nine affirmations of Pozzo (1938-39). In that streak of 11 there is also another record, namely the en plein in the Euro 2020 qualifiers (10 wins out of 10), the first time for Italy in a group towards the European or World Cup. The icing on the cake of this 2019 is the 9-1 win against Armenia: nine goals scored in one match after 71 years (1948, Italy-USA 9-0, biggest win in history), fourth victory in history with 8 goals scrap (the others in 1928, 1936 and 1952).
The national team raises the “Henry Delaunay” trophy
After the Covid emergency, Italy restarts in the new edition of the Nations League 2020-21 in autumn 2020. First place in the group ahead of the Netherlands and qualification for the Finals, then the long run-up to a ‘Blue Dream’, up to Wembley, where the second European title in our history is celebrated (with the record of 13 consecutive victories up to the semi-final against Spain), which gives the country one of the greatest sporting emotions. On 11 July 2021, the national team lifts the ‘Henry Delaunay’ trophy at the end of a breathtaking match against hosts England, sealed by Donnarumma’s saves on penalties. The following day, Rome celebrates the European champion national team with a tribute from the crowd in the parade between the Quirinale and Palazzo Chigi. “We are still not aware of what we have done,” Mancini whispers before crossing the threshold of the Quirinale.
At the Quirinal
President Sergio Mattarella honors the Azzurri: “You deserved well beyond the score, you won by expressing a magnificent game. You have manifested team harmony with each other and in the game. Thanks must be expressed to Roberto Mancini for the trust he has always shown, the revolution he has introduced in the setting of the game, the careful preparation of each match”. A few months before the triumph at Euro 2020, 17 May 2021, Mancini had extended the link with the national team until 2026, i.e. until the World Cup which, once the qualification for the Qatar World Cup vanished on the bitter night in Palermo in March 2022, becomes the new obsession in the thoughts of the coach.
The bitterness
In the heat, in the post-elimination interviews, Mancio does not hide his great bitterness: “I think as July was the coolest thing I’ve had professionally, this is the biggest disappointment. Thinking about the future? Let’s see what happens, the disappointment is too big to talk about now. I love my boys more now than last July”. Thus, after the great disappointment for Trajkovski’s goal, the thought that imposes itself in Mancini’s head is that of a second reconstruction, working on the heroes of Wembley and on the kids of a new generation, which is struggling to find space in Serie A. And then the internships with the most interesting young players, the look at the youth national teams, a very young squad in the 2022 Nations League, after closing, with the defeat in the Final against Argentina winners of the Copa America (3-0 in June 2022, again at Wembley) a phase of his Azzurri career: Chiellini’s farewell to the national team, Insigne and Bernardeschi’s departures to the USA.
The interrupted dream
Many boys make their debut between June and November in whom Mancini immediately trusts: Frattesi, Gnonto, Pobega, Dimarco, S. Ricci, Cancellieri, Zerbin, Gatti, S. Esposito, Scalvini, Pafundi, Fagioli, Miretti. All to try to win that World Cup, in which Mancini never played even a minute. “My fault”, as he has said several times in interviews over the years. A dream interrupted on a midsummer night with this sensational resignation.