Mancini launches the Azzurri revival with nine first call-ups
Roberto Mancini released, a few hours ago, the first call‑ups for the upcoming Nations League matches, marking the start of what he calls his rebuilding operation for Italy. The list includes nine faces who will wear the blue shirt for the first time.
Nine debutants in the national team
Bologna goalkeeper Massimo Pessina, Roma defender Daniele Ghilardi, Brentford defender Michael Kayode, Monza defender Eddy Kouadio, Cagliari midfielder Alessandro Romano, Sporting CP midfielder Issa Doumbia, Sassuolo forward Sebastiano Esposito, Napoli forward Antonio Vergara and Nuremberg forward Mohamed Alì Zoma are all called up for the first time.
Also confirmed in the squad are the two players already present since last June for the friendlies against Luxembourg and Greece: Honest Ahanor, Crystal Palace defender, and Samuele Inacio, Borussia Dortmund forward.
Also returning to the list are Nicolò Fagioli and Nicolò Zaniolo, absent since October 2024, and midfielder Rolando Mandragora, last called up in March 2021.
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Full squad and Mancini's words
Among the goalkeepers are Marco Carnesecchi (Atalanta), Gianluigi Donnarumma (Manchester City), Massimo Pessina (Bologna) and Guglielmo Vicario (Juventus). The defence includes 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) and Giorgio Scalvini (Atalanta). In midfield are added Nicolò Barella (Inter), Bryan Cristante (Roma), Issa Doumbia (Sporting CP), Nicolò Fagioli (Fiorentina), Davide Frattesi (Lazio), Rolando Mandragora (Torino), Alessandro Romano (Cagliari) and Sandro Tonali (Tottenham). In attack are 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) and Mohamed Alì Zoma (Nuremberg).
In the Instagram post, the head coach wrote: “Reviewing my first call‑ups takes me back to a journey I care deeply about. There is a lot of work to do, starting with the selection of the players with whom to build the future. These call‑ups are the first step. Come on Italy.”
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Mancini emphasized that the rebuilding phase has only just begun and that today’s choices represent the first step towards a long‑term project for Italy.