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Roberto Mancini’s exploits in Qatar herald his return to European football
TL;DR
Roberto Mancini has been nominated for the Best Coach award at the 2025/26 QFA Awards after leading Al Sadd to a third consecutive Qatar Stars League title. This marks his return to European football after three years away.
Key points
- Roberto Mancini is a finalist for the Best Coach awards.
- He led Al Sadd to a third consecutive Qatar Stars League title.
- Mancini left European football three years ago.
- He was previously the head coach of the Italy national team.
- Mancini coached Saudi Arabia before joining Al Sadd.
Mentioned in this story
Roberto ManciniAl SaddSaudi Arabia
Qatar Stars LeagueQFA Awards
Roberto Mancini’s exploits in Qatar herald his return to European football
Roberto Mancini has been recently confirmed as one of three finalists for the Best Coach awards at the 2025/26 QFA Awards, the ceremony for which is scheduled to be held on Monday, May 11, 2026.
The nomination marks a remarkable debut season in Qatar for the 61-year-old, in which he has led Al Sadd to winning the Qatar Stars League title for a third season running.
The end of this season marks three years since Mancini left European football. He left his role as head coach of the Italy men’s national team in 2023, after which an 18-game stint followed in the same capacity with Saudi Arabia before the switch to Al Sadd.
While stints away from Europe usually imply that a manager or player is past their prime and are off chasing opportunities elsewhere, it is not necessarily always the case. Players who moved particularly to the Arabian Peninsula for contracts they would not find in Europe are showing recently that there is a landing spot back in a European top-flight league for them
Roberto Mancini has been recently confirmed as one of three finalists for the Best Coach awards at the 2025/26 QFA Awards, the ceremony for which is scheduled to be held on Monday, May 11, 2026.
The nomination marks a remarkable debut season in Qatar for the 61-year-old, in which he has led Al Sadd to winning the Qatar Stars League title for a third season running.
The end of this season marks three years since Mancini left European football. He left his role as head coach of the Italy men’s national team in 2023, after which an 18-game stint followed in the same capacity with Saudi Arabia before the switch to Al Sadd.
While stints away from Europe usually imply that a manager or player is past their prime and are off chasing opportunities elsewhere, it is not necessarily always the case. Players who moved particularly to the Arabian Peninsula for contracts they would not find in Europe are showing recently that there is a landing spot back in a European top-flight league for them, though the same is true for managers to an even more considerable degree.
Q&A
What achievements led to Roberto Mancini's Best Coach nomination?
Roberto Mancini's nomination is due to his successful debut season in Qatar, where he led Al Sadd to win the Qatar Stars League title for the third consecutive time.
When will the QFA Awards ceremony take place?
The QFA Awards ceremony is scheduled for May 11, 2026.
How long has Roberto Mancini been away from European football?
Roberto Mancini has been away from European football for three years, having left his role as head coach of the Italy men's national team in 2023.
What was Mancini's role before joining Al Sadd?
Before joining Al Sadd, Roberto Mancini had an 18-game stint as the head coach of the Saudi Arabia national team.