Luciano Spalletti will be the new head coach of Italy's national soccer team, the country's football federation said on Friday, replacing Roberto Mancini who resigned on Aug 13. Spalletti, 64, led Napoli last season to its first Serie A title in 33 years, crowning a long club management career that has included spells at AS Roma, Inter Milan, and a five-year stint with Russian club Zenit St Petersburg.

He stepped aside from the Napoli job in May after requesting a sabbatical and was replaced by Frenchman Rudi Garcia. The Italian Football Federation said on its website that Spalletti would take up the post from Sept. 1. "The national team needed a great coach and I'm very happy that he accepted," federation president Gabriele Gravina said.