In a surprising turn of events, Roberto Mancini has officially stepped down as the head coach of Saudi Arabia's national soccer team, as confirmed by the Saudi Arabian Football Federation on Thursday. This mutual decision marks the end of Mancini's brief tenure, which began just two months ago, following his exit from the Italian national team after winning the European Championship in 2021.

The Saudi Federation announced the conclusion of Mancini's contract via their social media channel, stating, "The Saudi soccer federation's Board of Directors and the national team coach, Italian Roberto Mancini reached a joint agreement on Thursday to end the contractual relationship."

Despite his illustrious career coaching top teams like Internazionale and Manchester City, Mancini faced significant challenges during his time in Saudi Arabia. His most notable setback came during the Asian Cup, where the national team didn’t get past the knockout stage, exiting in the round of 16. Adding fuel to the fire, Mancini sparked controversy during the match against South Korea when he walked off the pitch prior to the completion of the penalty shootout, which led to public backlash. He later issued an apology to fans and players alike.

Mancini's arrival in Saudi Arabia in August 2023 was met with great expectations, especially after a successful run with the Italian national side. However, the team's current standings in Group C of Asia's World Cup qualifying rounds tell a different story. Currently, they hold third place with five points, significantly trailing behind group leaders Japan. Their last two matches saw a disappointing home defeat against Japan (2-0) and a frustrating goalless draw with Bahrain.

What's next for Mancini remains to be seen. With his proven track record, including three Serie A titles with Inter and a Premier League trophy with Manchester City—stemming from Sergio Aguero’s iconic last-minute goal in 2013—he is likely to attract interest from various clubs and national teams.

The Saudi Arabian national team will need to regroup and strategize as they aim to progress in their qualifying journey, with the stakes raised as only the top two teams in each group secure automatic entry to the World Cup. Meanwhile, the footballing world watches on to see where one of the sport’s great tacticians will land next.