Mancini is no longer the coach of Saudi Arabia, it’s official

Now it’s official. Roberto Mancini he is no longer the technical commissioner ofSaudi Arabia. The adventure of the 59-year-old coach from Jesi, who had signed a very rich contract for Arabia (24 million per season) a few days after resigning from the leadership of the national team in August last year, ends after just over a year. “The Saudi Football Federation announces that it has reached an agreement for the termination of the contract of the national team coach Roberto Mancini” announced Saudi state TV Al Ekhbariya, stating that the name of the new coach will be made known within a few days.

The statement

The Saff (Saudi Arabian Football Federation) announced in a statement that: “The Board of Directors of the Football Federation today reached an agreement which provides for the consensual termination of the contractual relationship. The Federation thanks the coach Roberto Mancini, wishing him many successes in his career. The Board of Directors confirms that the name of the next first team coach will be announced in the next few days after the definitive and official conclusion of the contractual procedure.”

Mancini’s budget

Mancini was officially signed by the Saudi Federation on 27 August 2023. Mancini signed a very rich agreement with the Saudi Federation until 2027, with the aim of qualifying the national team for the 2026 World Cup in the United States and above all to grow the movement in view of the 2032 World Cup that Saudi will almost certainly organize at home. He made his debut on the bench on 8 September 2023 in the 3-1 friendly defeat in Newcastle against Costa Rica. At the 2023 Asian Cup he reached the round of 16 after finishing at the top of his group with 7 points in three matches (victories with Oman and Kyrgyzstan and the goalless draw with Thailand), being eliminated on penalties by South Korea.

The controversies

The journey into the mountains is also disappointing Asian World Cup qualifierswhere the Saudi team has achieved only three victories so far (against Tajikistan, Pakistan and China), compared to two defeats and three draws, the last of which against Bahrain at home in which Mancio was contested by the fans. The images of the response with a nervous gesture went around the web, which was followed by controversy with the local press. A relationship that had now worn out and which today has reached its conclusion with the termination of the contract.