Italy boss Mancini keen to stay despite missing out on World Cup

Roberto Mancini has vowed to stay on as Italy manager, telling reporters on Monday that he wanted to eventually win the World Cup despite the European champions failing to qualify for the showpiece event for the second time in a row.

Italy missed out on the tournament in Qatar later this year after a shock 1-0 defeat at home by North Macedonia in last week's playoff semi-final.

There were no calls for Mancini's removal, however, with Italian Football Federation (FIGC) president Gabriele Gravina backing him to continue in his role.

"I have talked with the (FIGC) president, we agree on everything. I'm glad, we'll talk again in the next few days," Mancini said ahead of Tuesday's friendly away to Turkey.

"Now we're focusing on this match, then we'll discuss what we need to improve in the future. That's all.

"I feel like staying because I am still young. I wanted to win one European Championship and one World Cup, so for the World Cup I'll have to wait a little."

Mancini said it would be up to Gravina to decide if a change was needed in the squad but added that Italy were planning to call up a new generation of players.

"We will certainly add younger players, hoping they can have important experiences at their clubs because this is important. We'll work on this and we'll see what the general situation is," he said.

"The squad in these years deserved a lot. It has not been just the Euros but a three-year path with a streak of matches without any defeat and we need to acknowledge that."

Mancini's side won the Euros during a world record 37-match unbeaten streak stretching back to September 2018, coming after their humiliating failure to qualify for that year’s World Cup.

Veteran defender Leonardo Bonucci told reporters on Monday that