Roberto Mancini has said, according to Italian media reports, that watching World Cup matches feels painful for him because Italy are absent from the tournament.
The comments come amid a difficult period for Italian football after the national team failed to qualify for the World Cup for a third consecutive edition, despite the expanded 48-team format.
Mancini recently left Qatari club Al Sadd and has been linked with a possible return to the Italy job, although there has been no official final announcement from the Italian federation.
His name still carries major weight in Italian football after leading the national side to the Euro 2020 title before later leaving the role and taking coaching jobs abroad.
Italy’s coaching situation remains under close watch as supporters look for a new project capable of bringing the national team back to the World Cup after a long and painful absence.