OLDENZAAL, NETHERLANDS – JUNE 17: Head coach of Italy Roberto Mancini attends before an Italy Training Session
the UEFA Nations League 2022/23 at K.V.V Quick ’20 Stadium on June 17, 2023 in Oldenzaal, Netherlands. (Photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images)
Roberto Mancini has named his 34-man Italy squad for the Nations League, including nine new faces like Michael Kayode, Alessandro Romano, Issa Doumbia, Alessandro Vergara and Mohamed Ali Zoma, along with some surprise returns.
Italy coach Mancini has announced his squad list for the Azzurri’s next four Nations League games.
The 61-year-old returned to the Italy bench at the end of July and signed a contract until 2030.
Mancini’s new Italy vision
The upcoming international break will last two weeks, during which the Azzurri will play twice against Vincenzo Montella’s Turkiye and visit both Belgium and France.
The first game of Mancini’s second stint as Italy’s head coach is at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome against Belgium on Friday, September 25. Three days later, on September 28, they’ll visit Turkiye.
On Friday, October 2, they’ll visit Zinedine Zidane’s France, and on October 5, they’ll host Turkiye at the Stadio Dall’Ara in Bologna.
There are nine new faces in the side, namely Bologna goalkeeper Massimo Pessina, Roma defender Daniele Ghilardi, Brentford full-back Michael Kayode, Monza defender Eddy Kouadio, Cagliari midfielder Alessandro Romano, Sporting talent Issa Doumbia, Sassuolo striker Sebastiano Esposito, Napoli forward Antonio Vergara, and Nurnberg hitman Mohamed Ali Zoma.
There is also confirmation for Honest Ahanor, who has since joined Crystal Palace via Atalanta and Chelsea, and Borussia Dortmund starlet Samuele Inacio after the friendlies against Luxembourg and Greece in June.
Mancini recalls Nicolò Fagioli and Nicolò Zaniolo, who hadn’t worn the Italy shirt since October 2024, while Rolando Mandragora’s last call was all the way back in March 2021.
As expected, there is no call for Chelsea player Marco Palestra, who is yet to feature this season due to injury.
The first training session at the Coverciano camp is scheduled for Monday September 21.
Italy squad for Nations League games
Goalkeepers: Marco Carnesecchi (Atalanta), Gianluigi Donnarumma (Manchester City), Massimo Pessina (Bologna), Guglielmo Vicario (Juventus);
Defenders: Honest Ahanor (Crystal Palace), Alessandro Bastoni (Inter), Riccardo Calafiori (Arsenal), Diego Coppola (Paris FC), Giovanni Di Lorenzo (Napoli), Federico Dimarco (Inter), Daniele Ghilardi (Roma), Michael Kayode (Brentford), Eddy Kouadio (Monza), Gianluca Mancini (Roma), Giorgio Scalvini (Atalanta);
Midfielders: Nicolò Barella (Inter), Bryan Cristante (Roma), Issa Doumbia (Sporting CP), Nicolò Fagioli (Fiorentina), Davide Frattesi (Lazio), Rolando Mandragora (Torino), Alessandro Romano (Cagliari), Sandro Tonali (Tottenham);
Forwards: Nicolò Cambiaghi (Bologna), Francesco Pio Esposito (Inter), Sebastiano Esposito (Sassuolo), Samuele Inacio (Borussia Dortmund), Moise Kean (Como), Daniel Maldini (Cagliari), Giacomo Raspadori (Atalanta), Gianluca Scamacca (Atalanta), Antonio Vergara (Napoli), Nicolò Zaniolo (Udinese), Mohamed Alì Zoma (Nurnberg).
