Roberto Mancini has been dismissed as the manager of Saudi Arabia’s men’s national team after 14 months in the role.
Mancini was hired last August on a four-year contract, reportedly valued at £21 million per year, following his departure from Italy’s national team, which he led to a European Championship win in 2021.
The Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) announced the decision, stating it was a ‘joint agreement’ to end his contract. In a statement, SAFF said, “The Board of Directors of the Saudi Football Federation and Italian coach Roberto Mancini have mutually agreed today to terminate their contractual relationship.”
The board expressed gratitude to Mancini and wished him success in his future, adding, “The new national team coach’s name will be announced in the coming days after finalizing the hiring process.”
Mancini leaves the team currently third in Group C of the third round of Asia’s qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.