Belgium beat Italy 2-0 at the Stadio Olimpico on 25 September 2026, turning Roberto Mancini's first game back into an ugly night almost from the start. Mika Godts scored his first senior international goal in the 20th minute, the home crowd booed Italy at half-time, and Dodi Lukebakio finished the job after the break. It was a poor opening to Mancini's second spell, and a flat atmosphere in Rome quickly became a hostile one.

The result and the reaction in Rome

The hard fact is simple enough: Italy vs Belgium ended 0-2. Italy never found a way back once they fell behind, and the crowd told them exactly what it thought before the interval.

Only 47,155 spectators were in the Stadio Olimpico, far below the 70,000 capacity mentioned in the match coverage. That matters in a football sense because this did not feel like one of those intimidating Italy home nights. It felt strained early, then sour once Belgium got ahead.

Italy were booed at half-time after going 1-0 down. When a coach returns, there is usually a bit of patience in the ground, especially on night one. Italy did not get that, and they did not earn it either.

One line carried by dailymail.com summed up the touchline mood, even if it read more as report than reaction: Roberto Mancini "appeared frustrated on the touchline." That was visible in the broader shape of the game too, because Belgium looked calmer and clearer once the first goal went in.

Italy also finished with 0 goals. That is the basic reason the noise around the result will keep building. Gianluigi Donnarumma was not presented as the main issue in the coverage, and the 2-0 defeat was really about what happened in front of him rather than inside his own box.

Belgium's counter-attacks did the damage

Belgium's first goal came from the kind of mistake that changes the whole tone of a match. In the 20th minute, a misplaced pass from Alessandro Romano started the move, Kevin De Bruyne played the through ball, and Godts finished for 1-0.

For Godts, it was his first senior international goal, and it immediately became the key moment of the night. Belgium were already playing with more composure than Italy, but that opener gave them exactly the game state they wanted.

De Bruyne's part in it also stood out. This was his 125th international appearance, and Belgium leaned on that experience in the decisive moment. Italy, by contrast, were made to look rushed.

The second goal followed a similar theme. Lukebakio scored in the 69th minute with a precise left-foot finish from outside the area into the far bottom corner, capping another Belgian attack that exposed Italy's lack of control.

There was another Belgian name in the build-up of the evening too, with Charles De Ketelaere among the players referenced around a side that looked sharper in transition under Mark van Bommel. Belgium did not need a long spell of dominance to settle this match. They needed two clean breaks and better execution.

Mancini's problem after one game

It would be lazy to pin the whole defeat on Roberto Mancini's return, and the reporting does not support that. What it does support is that his second spell has opened in the worst possible way: home defeat, boos at half-time, and an immediate sense of drift around the team.

Football Italia's framing was harsh but fair on the night, describing it as a "disastrous 2-0 home defeat to Belgium" that made the Nations League "an uphill struggle." That reads strong because the performance gave little reason to soften it.

Managers do not get judged only on results in their first match back, but they do get judged on the feel of it. This felt bad quickly. Belgium scored first through Godts, Italy never scored at all, and Lukebakio sealed the 2-0 win in the 69th minute.

FAQ

Why did Italy lose to Belgium in Roberto Mancini's return match?

Italy lost 2-0 because Belgium punished them in transition and Italy never recovered after the opener. Mika Godts scored in the 20th minute after a misplaced Alessandro Romano pass and a Kevin De Bruyne through ball, then Dodi Lukebakio made it 2-0 in the 69th minute. Italy also finished with 0 goals and were booed by the home crowd at half-time.

Who scored in Italy vs Belgium in the UEFA Nations League?

Belgium's goals came from Mika Godts and Dodi Lukebakio in the 2-0 win over Italy. Godts opened the scoring in the 20th minute with his first senior international goal after a counter-attack, and Lukebakio added the second in the 69th minute with a left-foot finish from outside the area into the far bottom corner.

Was Roberto Mancini booed on his return as Italy coach?

The briefed reaction was aimed at the team rather than a direct report of boos for Mancini himself. Italy were booed by the home crowd at half-time after going 1-0 down to Belgium at the Stadio Olimpico, and the atmosphere turned sour quickly during his first game back on the bench.

How many fans attended Italy vs Belgium in Rome?

The attendance was 47,155 at the Stadio Olimpico. Source coverage also described the match as not close to sold out, with roughly 47,000 tickets sold in a stadium with a 70,000 capacity, which added to the flat mood around Italy's home defeat.

Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →