Roberto Mancini has been relieved of his duties as manager of the Saudi Arabian men’s national team after a 14-month tenure.
Mancini was appointed head coach last August on a four-year contract worth approximately £21 million per year. His hiring came shortly after he resigned as Italy’s manager, where he had achieved significant success by leading the national team to victory in the 2021 European Championships.
The Saudi Arabian Football Federation announced that a “joint agreement” had been reached to terminate Mancini’s contract. This news followed speculation that his position was under threat.
A statement from the federation read, “The Board of Directors of the Saudi Football Federation and the national team coach, Italian Roberto Mancini, have reached a joint agreement today to terminate the contractual relationship. The council expresses its gratitude to Mr. Mancini and wishes him well in his future endeavors.”
The federation confirmed that the next coach of the national team will be announced in the coming days once contracting procedures are finalized.
Mancini departs with Saudi Arabia currently positioned third in Group C of Asia’s qualification process for the 2026 World Cup.
