Roberto Mancini has stepped down as head coach of Saudi Arabia’s national soccer team by mutual agreement, as announced by the Saudi Arabian Football Federation. The Italian manager, who took over the team in August 2023 following Hervé Renard’s departure, leaves the role after a brief tenure marked by mixed results.
Mancini led Saudi Arabia through the 2024 Asian Cup, where they were eliminated by South Korea in a penalty shootout in the Round of 16. In World Cup qualifying, Saudi Arabia currently sits third in Group C with five points, trailing Japan by five points after four matches. The team faced a 2-0 loss to Japan at home on October 10, followed by a scoreless draw with Bahrain, making their path to automatic World Cup qualification more challenging.
The top two teams from each group automatically qualify for the World Cup, while third and fourth-placed teams enter an additional preliminary round. Mancini’s exit leaves Saudi Arabia looking for new leadership as they aim to strengthen their position in World Cup qualifying.
