Italy, Vincenzo Montella: Friend or Foe? Could He Have Taken Roberto Mancini’s Place?
Turkey vs. Italy isn’t just the first real test for the new Italian national team, which got off to the worst possible start against Belgium in its bid to bounce back after missing its third straight World Cup in 2026. In fact, Roberto Mancini and Vincenzo Montella—colleagues and former teammates at Sampdoria—will also face off on Monday in Bursa. And the coach from Campania, during Sunday’s press conference, hinted that if things had gone differently, he might have been in the position currently held by his former captain at Sampdoria.
“It’s happened to me before—albeit only in a friendly—but I would have gladly avoided facing Italy. That said, winning now would be very important for us, and I’ll give my all for Turkey. I’ve been living here for five years and working for the federation for three; they’re making me feel like one of them, and my mind and heart will be solely with them,” Montella assured. As for the prospect of becoming the Azzurri’s head coach, he admitted: “They haven’t contacted me recently, but they did in the past. And now I have two more years left on my contract here.”
The math is pretty simple: Montella was hired as head coach of Adana Demirspor on September 1, 2021 (his roster at the time included Mario Balotelli) and then appointed head coach of Turkey on September 21, 2023. He therefore could not have replaced either Luciano Spalletti in June 2025 or Gennaro Gattuso starting March 31 of this year. It’s interesting to note, however, that about three months before accepting his current position, Roberto Mancini himself stepped down as Italy’s head coach: it was June 18, 2023. And who knows—perhaps that “past” referred to by the man who finished as Serie A’s second-leading scorer with Sampdoria in 1996–’97 which was the very last season the Blucerchiati’s eternal No. 10 spent in Genoa before his move to Lazio. His arrival, potentially, could have written a different story—one that wouldn’t have required a coaching change even in 2026.
“I agree with what Mancini said,” Montella added. “Soccer is made up of cycles, and if we set aside the top-tier players from Spain, France, England, Germany, and Portugal, Italy has a competitive team. Perhaps the problem is that the roster isn’t deep enough. But Donnarumma, Calafiori, Bastoni, Tonali, Barella, and even Pio Esposito, Kean, and Scamacca make it possible to field a highly competitive lineup. Besides, in soccer, a single penalty kick can determine whether or not a team qualifies for the World Cup. And against Belgium, the Azzurri could even have drawn—against an opponent that played an incredible game.” Was he being polite to his former captain?
After all, Mancini himself, in his pre-match press conference, had struck a similar tone when assessing the match in Bursa: “Montella has a very strong team, full of talent: it will be difficult.” The Azzurri coach, however, sought to defuse the controversy following the loss to Belgium, urging everyone not to get carried away: “Soccer is all about moments. On Friday, the game could have turned around in the second half, but Belgium deserved to win.” A message of calm accompanied by the promise of some tactical changes: against Turkey, there will be room for changes, with Bastoni expected to return to the center of the defense and Mandragora and Frattesi ready to replace at least one of Barella and Tonali in midfield, while Raspadori and Scamacca are in line to start up front.
