Italy suffered a 2–0 defeat against Belgium at the Stadio Olimpico in Roberto Mancini’s first match of his second tenure with the Azzurri, while Mark van Bommel enjoyed an ideal start to his managerial spell with the Red Devils.
Mika Godts opened the scoring for Belgium in the 20th minute, prompting loud jeers and whistles from the home crowd as the Italian players headed into the locker room at half-time in protest of the performance and deficit.
The hosts failed to alter the momentum in the second half, with Dodi Lukebakio doubling Belgium’s lead in the 69th minute to secure all three points for the visitors and intensify the pressure surrounding the current Italian squad.
Mancini deployed a 4-3-3 formation featuring Gianluigi Donnarumma in goal, with Nicolò Barella, Sandro Tonali, and Alessandro Romano in midfield, while Pio Esposito led the attack alongside Moise Kean and Nicolò Cambiaghi; however, the Azzurri failed to find the net.
The victory marked a successful debut for Dutch manager Van Bommel, who succeeded Rudi Garcia on a two-year contract following Belgium’s quarter-final exit to Spain at the 2026 World Cup. This appointment represents his first managerial role in international football following spells at PSV Eindhoven, VfL Wolfsburg, and Royal Antwerp.
Mancini returned to the Italian bench having previously managed the national side between 2018 and 2023, leading them to Euro 2020 glory and a world-record 37-match unbeaten streak, though his first tenure also included failure to qualify for the 2022 World Cup. Italy subsequently missed out on the 2026 World Cup following a penalty shootout defeat to Bosnia, marking their third consecutive tournament absence.
Belgium lead Group 1 with three points, tied with France, while Turkey sit third and Italy occupy bottom spot. The Azzurri will travel to face Turkey on September 28, before taking on France on October 2 and hosting Turkey on October 5.
