Italy: Mancini’s Second Stint Begins—Against Belgium, the Head Coach Is Already at a Crossroads

Roberto Mancini’s second stint as Italy’s head coach kicks off at Rome’s Stadio Olimpico. The Azzurri make their debut in the 2026–2027 Nations League against Belgium, the first match of an intense stretch that will see the national team play four games in just eleven days.

Following the disappointment of failing to qualify for the World Cup for the third consecutive time, the new head coach—who has returned after the summer turmoil within the Italian Football Federation—has been tasked with revitalizing a squad that has undergone a major overhaul. A total of 34 players have been called up for this September’s training camp, including nine potential debutants—a clear sign of the desire to usher in a new era and broaden the national team’s roster.

However, the schedule leaves no room for maneuver. After the match against Belgium, led by Mark van Bommel, Italy will face Turkey twice before wrapping up the first block of matches with a challenging away game in Saint-Denis against France, now coached by Zinedine Zidane. This is a challenging start to the campaign, one that could provide important insights into the future of the Azzurri project.

In League A Group 1, the competition is indeed of the highest caliber. France, Belgium, and Turkey are far from easy opponents, and the minimum goal will be to secure one of the top two spots, which guarantee a berth in the quarterfinals scheduled for March 2027. Unlike in previous editions, the relegation rules have changed: the two best third-place teams from the four groups remain in League A; the other two third-place teams and the two best fourth-place teams advance to the playoffs; while the two worst fourth-place teams are directly relegated to League B.

For the opener, Mancini seems inclined to start with a 4-3-3 formation, a system that also characterized much of his first stint as head coach of the national team. In front of Donnarumma, Kayode, Mancini, Coppola, and Calafiori are expected to start. Barella and Tonali are confirmed in midfield, flanked by the young Romano, while the attacking trio is expected to consist of Cambiaghi, Pio Esposito, and Kean.

Kickoff for Italy vs. Belgium is scheduled for Friday, September 25, at 8:45 p.m. at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome. For Mancini, this is already a symbolic crossroads: getting off on the right foot would mean restoring enthusiasm to the team and laying a solid foundation for the Azzurri’s resurgence, while a rocky start would risk immediately reigniting doubts and questions about a national team called upon to rediscover its identity and results.