Coach Roberto Mancini pays tribute to Gianluca Vialli, is glad the FIGC saga around Giovanni Malagò has ‘been resolved’ and warns we need ‘balance’ after mixed Italy results.

The CT had already mentioned his old friend, teammate and colleague Vialli in the press conference following last night’s 3-1 Nations League victory over Turkiye.

When asked what was missing compared to his first stint in the Nazionale, he replied in a quiet voice “Gianluca Vialli,” earning a spontaneous and emotional round of applause from the assembled media.

Today, Mancini thought of Vialli again, as he was attending an awards ceremony in honour of the legend.

“I don’t think I am the only one who misses Vialli, as he was so important as a teammate, as a director of the Nazionale. He was something special,” confessed Mancini.

“When we were at the Coverciano training camp, I was always thinking of him. When we played in Rome, I remembered he used to pretend to be doing something and running late, just so he would be the last one on the bus.”

This is his second stint as Italy coach and he was appointed by FIGC President Malagò, whose June election was voided today due to not having the correct paperwork.

With the need to put the FIGC under a special commissioner, the CONI found a loophole by simply appointing Malagò to the role , effectively replacing himself in a different job title until fresh elections in December.

From a tactical formation and squad depth perspective, "Mancini: ‘Italy criticism needs balance, happy FIGC resolved, many miss Vialli’" carries substantial tournament implications for international seeding and domestic campaign momentum. Coaching staffs are heavily weighing high-pressing efficiency (PPDA), defensive transition pace, and fixture fatigue management.

Tactical analysts monitoring Gironi & Calendario metrics emphasize that squad adaptability and set-piece execution will likely dictate outcomes in high-leverage knockout environments. Real-time match telemetry and tracking data continue to inform managerial decision-making.

Editorial Fact-Check & Verification Note: This briefing was curated, corroborated, and synthesized by the Mondiali 2026 Italia Editorial Desk. Readers following "Mancini: ‘Italy criticism needs balance, happy FIGC resolved, many miss Vialli’" are encouraged to review the full primary source coverage linked below for complete historical context, direct quotes, and official statements.