Cisse aims to prove his worth as Italy’s youthful pool swells
Alphadjo Cisse revealed the instant he learned of his first Italy call‑up, insisting he wants to prove his worth at the Nazionale and highlighting the depth of young talent in Serie A and Serie B. The 20‑year‑old was named in the squad last week ahead of Nations League clashes with France on Thursday and Belgium on Sunday.
Milan form fuels Cisse’s rise
On 28 October 2026 Cisse of AC Milan celebrated scoring his team’s second goal in a Serie A match against Bologna at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza. The 20‑year‑old had been playing in Serie B with Catanzaro the previous season. He is now Milan’s leading scorer across all competitions in 2026‑27, having netted eight goals from 15 appearances, already surpassing his tally from last season.
Cisse gave an in‑depth interview with Cronache di Spogliatoio about his career and his first Italy call‑up. The Italy squad was announced on Thursday evening, just before Cisse and Milan kicked off against Ferencvaros in the Europa League. He discovered his selection while standing in the media zone at San Siro.
Milan block Brighton: Premier League knocks for Alphadjo Cisse
International call‑up and future prospects
On 16 September 2026 Cisse of AC Milan contested the ball with Alessandro Circati of SL Benfica during a Europa League group‑stage match against Benfica at San Siro. He recalled being stopped before pre‑match interviews for the Ferencvaros tie, told he had been called up to the senior national team, and said he wants to prove he belongs, noting the news had been discussed for about ten days but remained uncertain.
Cisse said his experience shows what can happen when young players receive top‑level chances and believes many more hidden gems exist in Serie A and Serie B. On 8 November 2026 Cisse scored for Milan in a Serie A match against Genoa at Stadio Luigi Ferraris. He reiterated that Italy is full of strong young players, that opportunities matter, and praised Pisilli’s strength after playing alongside him.
Eight goals inspire Cisse to hail Balotelli as Italy role model