Immobile: ‘Italy ambition in 10 years, saved Lazio embarrassment’

Immobile: ‘Italy ambition in 10 years, saved Lazio embarrassment’ Ciro Immobile explains how he knew it was time to retire, why he ‘saved Lazio the embarrassment’ by walking away, apologies to Jurgen Klopp, and why he’d ‘like to be Italy coach in 10 years.’ The striker hung up his boots this summer , having already started pre-season training with his Paris FC teammates, but recognised the moment had come to call it a day at age 36. Lazio forward Ciro Immobile falls during the UEFA Champions League round of 16, second-leg football match between FC Bayern Munich and Lazio in Munich, southern Germany on March 5, 2024. (Photo by Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV / AFP) (Photo by KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP via Getty Images) “When you have a Rolls Royce and realise it’s not running the way it did before, you just have to surrender to time,” Immobile told the Corriere della Sera newspaper. “Things only came out half as well as they used to. We can add in the vanity of not wanting to leave a bad final impression of myself on the field. I gave and received so much from football, so stopping at the right time is a sign of respect both towards yourself, and those who watch you.” He already has a new role working as delegation chief for the Italy Under-16 team , part of the complete revamp of the Nazionale under coach Roberto Mancini and director of Club Italia Claudio Ranieri. Immobile has Italy ambition ROME, ITALY – DECEMBER 07: Mattia Zaccagni of SS Lazio with Ciro Immobile of Bologna FC prior the Serie A match between SS Lazio and Bologna FC 1909 at Stadio Olimpico on December 07, 2025 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Marco Rosi – SS Lazio/Getty Images) “Mancini was the best choice, everyone is realising this is not just harking towards the past. He is able to create a squad, he doesn’t mess around with your head in the dressing room or training camp. “When he won the European Championship, that team had a lot of players who were captains at club level, and that was a big boost in terms of experience. Human values are every bit as important as football ones. “Now he has called up younger lads and showed faith in them, motivated them. The results of these changes are already becoming visible. He gets everyone involved around a common cause.” Considering he has now retired, would Immobile like to see himself in Mancini’s place on the Italy bench? “I have a long way to go, but in 10 years I’d like to be Italy coach.” epa11318245 Lazio�s Ciro Immobile celebrates with supporters after scoring the 1-0 lead during the Italian Serie A soccer match between AC Monza and SS Lazio at U-Power stadium in Monza, Itaky, 04 May 2024. EPA-EFE/MATTEO BAZZI His playing career was inexorably linked with Lazio, where he spent eight years before suddenly making the move to Besiktas, but it was a rather bitter ending to that rapport. “They were basically holding me by the hand and walking me towards the exit. So I decided to just save everyone the embarrassment, take that hand and use it to open the door instead. Despite everything, and the double disappointment, I swear that at the end of the day it remained a father-son rapport with Claudio Lotito.” When it comes to the coaches he worked with, Immobile had a surprising confession. “The coach who gave me the most was Simone Inzaghi, especially on a human level, our families even spent time together. The one who gave me the least was Klopp. It seems strange, eh? I was perhaps too young at Borussia Dortmund, and he was coming to an end of his era there, so maybe I owe him an apology.”