Claudio Ranieri has been named as the new technical director of the Italian national football team (Nazionale), a position that has only recently come into being. This appointment came about amid initial whispers that Roberto Mancini might once more return to the Italian coaching bench.
Ranieri, who turns 75 in October, had already gone through retirement for the second time following his contract terminations as club management consultant with Roma and Atletico Madrid. The change of roles at Roma left Ranieri in a unique position where he could choose whether or not to take on this new challenge.
Ranieri served over multiple clubs throughout his career, including Leicester City (where he achieved one of the most celebrated managerial successes), Napoli, Fiorentina, Valencia, Atletico Madrid, and Juventus. His prowess with football teams is demonstrated by his significant achievements such as winning the Premier League title – a feat known as the ‘Busby’s Curse’ due to its shocking nature when Ranieri took Leicester City from relegation-threatened depths of the league.
The appointment of Ranieri brings renewed hope for Italy's football direction, emphasizing their goal to maintain continuity and stability even if and when there is a change in national team coaching. This new role will contribute to building on existing projects involving various youth teams across the country.
