Roberto Mancini's New Era for Italy: A Bold 34-Man Squad
Roberto Mancini has wasted no time in stamping his authority on Italy’s future.
Back in the Azzurri dugout after Gennaro Gattuso’s exit and another World Cup qualification failure, the 61-year-old has named a bold 34-man squad for the upcoming UEFA Nations League campaign – and it is very clearly a new Italy.
A new era, stripped back
From the side that conquered Europe at Euro 2020, only six survivors remain: Gianluigi Donnarumma, Alessandro Bastoni, Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Nicolo Barella, Bryan Cristante and Giacomo Raspadori.
Everyone else? Either gone or fighting to get back in.
The message is sharp. Sentiment is over. Reputation no longer guarantees a seat on the plane.
Mancini’s second tenure opens with four League A Group 1 fixtures across the September and October international window, against Belgium, France and a double-header with Turkey. It is a demanding schedule, and he has chosen to confront it with a squad that looks more like a rebuild than a gentle refresh.
Big names out, questions asked
Some omissions jump off the page.
- Chelsea’s Marco Palestra, recently sidelined by injury, is left out despite making his debut in March and already collecting two caps.
- Tottenham Hotspur’s Destiny Udogie, who has not featured for Italy since June 2025, also misses out.
- So does Liverpool’s Federico Chiesa, called up earlier this year but absent from the pitch in an Azzurri shirt since Euro 2024.
They are not alone. Juventus trio Manuel Locatelli, Federico Gatti and Andrea Cambiaso are missing. Napoli pair Leonardo Spinazzola and Alessandro Buongiorno are also out, as is Al-Qadsiah forward Mateo Retegui.
This is not a tweak. It is a clear break.
Nine fresh faces
In their place, Mancini has thrown the door open to a new generation, naming nine uncapped players.
- Brentford right-back Michael Kayode earns a first call-up, as does 18-year-old Bologna goalkeeper Massimo Pessina, who steps straight into a senior squad still defined by Donnarumma’s presence.
- Roma’s Daniele Ghilardi, Monza’s Eddy Kouadio, Cagliari’s Alessandro Romano and Sporting Lisbon defender Issa Doumbia all get their first taste of the national setup.
- Sassuolo’s Sebastiano Esposito, Napoli’s Antonio Vergara and Nurnberg’s Mohamed Ali Zoma complete the list of debutants.
It is a wide net, spread across Serie A, abroad and the next wave of Italian talent. The kind of squad that suggests Mancini is prepared to live with short-term turbulence to build a team for the long term.
Youth retained, spine protected
Not everyone is new, though. Some of the brightest young faces keep their places.
- Borussia Dortmund forward Samuele Inacio, born in Italy to a Brazilian father and committed to the Azzurri, stays in the squad.
- So does fellow 18-year-old Honest Ahanor, currently on loan at Crystal Palace from Chelsea.
Around them, Mancini has kept a core of established names to anchor the experiment. Arsenal’s Riccardo Calafiori is in. Inter Milan duo Federico Dimarco and Nicolo Barella are there, Barella now one of the senior voices in the dressing room. Tottenham’s Sandro Tonali returns to the midfield mix, while Como forward Moise Kean is also included.
It is a blend: hardened internationals, emerging stars and complete newcomers, all thrown together under a coach who has already rebuilt Italy once.
The road ahead
Italy will gather at Coverciano next Monday for their first training session under Mancini’s renewed reign. Then the real work begins.
On September 25, the Azzurri open their Nations League campaign at the Stadio Olimpico against Belgium. Three days later they fly to Bursa to face Turkey, before heading to Saint-Denis on October 2 to meet 2026 World Cup semi-finalists France.
The international break closes back on home soil at the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara on October 5, where Italy host Turkey in the return fixture.
Four games. One compressed window. A squad reshaped almost beyond recognition.
Mancini has made his choice: rip it up, start again, and trust the next wave. Now the question hangs over this new-look Italy – can they grow up fast enough under the glare of the Nations League?
