Former manager of the Italian national team, Roberto Mancini (58), has expressed his ambition to create a lasting legacy following his appointment as the new head coach of the Saudi Arabia national team by the country’s football federation (SAFF) on Sunday.
Although the SAFF didn’t provide additional information, reports from Italian media suggested that Mancini is set to depart for Riyadh on Monday for a presentation event and the signing of a contract until 2027, offering a net annual salary of 25 million euros.
He is scheduled to make his coaching debut on September 8th in a match against Costa Rica.
“I made history in Europe, now is time to make history with Saudi Arabia,” Mancini said in a video posted on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.
Luciano Spalletti (64), the former coach of Napoli, succeeded Mancini as the head coach of the Italian national team. Mancini’s tenure came to an end on August 13th, concluding a five-year period during which he led the national team to victory in the European Championship but failed to qualify for the World Cup.
Herve Renard (54), a Frenchman, resigned from his role as Saudi Arabia’s coach in March. The team is set to compete for its fourth Asian Cup title in the upcoming continental championship scheduled to take place in Qatar early next year.
The country is making substantial investments in its premier soccer league.
The Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) has unveiled a Sports Clubs Investment and Privatisation Project that involves league champions such as Al Ittihad, Al Ahli, Al Nassr, and Al Hilal.
Additionally, the league is attracting a number of prominent players due to these developments.