Roberto Mancini, the Italian head coach of the Saudi national team, expressed his gratitude to the "Green" players for their performance and apologized to the fans for the early exit in the Round of 16 of the Asian Cup. Mancini stirred controversy by leaving the field before the penalty shootout concluded, which ended in a loss for the Saudi team against South Korea (2-4) after a 1-1 draw in regulation time during the match held on Tuesday evening.
Mancini wrote on his account on the social media platform "X": "I’m really thankful to our brave players who showed resilience and character in a very tough game, they gave everything. Huge thanks to our fans who made an amazing atmosphere yesterday. We worked hard to go very far in this tournament but fell short."
He added: "Once again, I apologize to everyone for leaving the pitch early to go to the locker room before the penalty shootout concluded. With your support and trust, we will continue to build for the future of Saudi football."
Mancini faced harsh criticism for his early exit, prompting him to apologize for his behavior, explaining during the press conference: "I thought the match was over, and I didn't mean to disrespect anyone." The Italian coach further stated: "I take this opportunity to express my gratitude to the players, thanking them for their efforts throughout the match."
