Roberto Mancini's Bold New Squad for Italy's Nations League Campaign
Roberto Mancini has wasted no time in stamping his authority on Italy’s latest reboot.
Back on the Azzurri bench since late July and tied to a deal through 2030, the coach has named a bold 34-man squad for the upcoming Nations League campaign, ripping up any notion of a gentle transition. Italy face a demanding two-week block: Belgium at the Stadio Olimpico to open the Mancini sequel on Friday, September 25, a double-header with Vincenzo Montella’s Türkiye, and a heavyweight trip to Zinedine Zidane’s France in between.
This is not a holding pattern. It’s a reset.
Nine fresh faces for Mancini’s new cycle
Mancini has injected fresh blood with nine first-time call-ups, a clear signal that reputations alone will not carry anyone through this cycle.
In goal, Bologna’s Massimo Pessina earns his first shot at the senior setup. At the back, Roma defender Daniele Ghilardi and Brentford full-back Michael Kayode step into the national spotlight, part of a younger, more mobile defensive mix.
They are joined by Monza defender Eddy Kouadio, Cagliari midfielder Alessandro Romano and Sporting CP prospect Issa Doumbia, all handed an early chance to convince Mancini they belong in the long-term picture.
Up front, the refresh is just as striking. Sassuolo striker Sebastiano Esposito, Napoli forward Antonio Vergara and Nurnberg’s Mohamed Ali Zoma are all drafted in to sharpen an attack that has too often lacked edge in recent years. Each arrives without international baggage, but with a clear mandate: bring energy, bring goals.
Amid the new wave, Mancini has also underlined his trust in a couple of recent additions. Crystal Palace defender Honest Ahanor and Borussia Dortmund forward Samuele Inacio both keep their places after featuring in friendlies, rewarded for performances that clearly stuck in the coach’s mind.
Big returns and one notable omission
The squad list is not just about debuts. It is also about second chances.
Fiorentina midfielder Nicolò Fagioli and Udinese attacker Nicolò Zaniolo are both back in the fold, ending long absences from the national team. Neither has worn the Italy shirt since October 2024, but Mancini has decided this is the moment to bring them back into a group that suddenly looks far more competitive for places.
Then comes the surprise recall: Torino’s Rolando Mandragora. The midfielder’s last Italy appearance dates all the way back to March 2021, yet he now finds himself back in contention, a reminder that Mancini’s memory – and his notebook – are long.
Not everyone has been so fortunate. As expected, Chelsea defender Marco Palestra misses out, still sidelined and yet to play this season because of an ongoing injury. His absence removes one experienced option from the back line, but underlines the message that fitness and rhythm matter as much as status.
A demanding schedule to test the reset
Italy will assemble at Coverciano on Monday, September 21, the traditional training base once again becoming the launchpad for a new chapter under a very familiar coach.
From there, the calendar turns unforgiving. After hosting Belgium in Rome to open their Nations League run, the Azzurri head to face Türkiye on September 28, a first look at Montella’s side before they meet again.
Then comes the glamour and the examination rolled into one: a trip to France on Friday, October 2, where Zidane’s team will offer as clear a benchmark as any for where Mancini’s rebuilt Italy truly stand.
The window closes on October 5 at the Stadio Dall’Ara in Bologna, where Italy welcome Türkiye for the second time in a fortnight. By then, the experimentation will have met reality. Debutants will either have seized their chance or slipped back into the chasing pack.
Mancini has his contract until 2030. The question now is whether this daring, expanded squad can convince that the future he has been hired to build is already taking shape.
