Roberto Mancini's Bold New Era for Italy

Roberto Mancini did not ease himself back into the Italy job. He ripped up the old script.

In his first major act since being re-appointed Azzurri head coach, the 61-year-old has named a bold 34-man squad for the upcoming UEFA Nations League campaign, signalling a sharp turn towards youth and a clear break from a generation that failed to reach three straight World Cups.

A New Mancini Era, Again

Mancini’s return, confirmed by the FIGC at the end of July after Gennaro Gattuso’s departure, always hinted at a reset. The squad list confirms it.

Only six survivors remain from his Euro 2020 triumph: Gianluigi Donnarumma, Alessandro Bastoni, Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Nicolo Barella, Bryan Cristante and Giacomo Raspadori. The spine of that Wembley night is now scattered, and what’s left has been surrounded by a very different cast.

Italy open their League A Group 1 campaign with four games across the September and October window: Belgium and France, plus a home-and-away double against Turkey. It is not a gentle reintroduction. Mancini has chosen to confront it with a squad that looks more like a blueprint than a comfort blanket.

Big Names Out, Harsh Calls Made

The omissions are as striking as the inclusions.

Chelsea’s Marco Palestra, still working his way back from injury, is out. So is Tottenham Hotspur’s Destiny Udogie. Liverpool’s Federico Chiesa, once the symbol of Italy’s attacking edge, is also missing.

Palestra, capped twice and handed his debut in March, misses out just as he seemed to be forcing his way into the picture. Udogie has not featured for Italy since June 2025. Chiesa, called up earlier this year but unused, has not played for the national team since Euro 2024. For now, all three watch from afar.

They are not alone. Juventus trio Manuel Locatelli, Federico Gatti and Andrea Cambiaso have been left out. Napoli pair Leonardo Spinazzola and Alessandro Buongiorno are missing too, as is Al-Qadsiah striker Mateo Retegui.

These are not fringe figures. They are established names. Mancini has chosen a different road.

Nine New Faces

The clearest sign of that shift lies in the nine debut call-ups.

Brentford right-back Michael Kayode gets the nod, a reward for his rise in the Premier League. In goal, 18-year-old Bologna prospect Massimo Pessina steps into the senior squad, a bold move in a position where Italy traditionally leans on experience.

Roma’s Daniele Ghilardi, Monza’s Eddy Kouadio, Cagliari’s Alessandro Romano and Sporting Lisbon’s Issa Doumbia all earn their first invitations, adding fresh legs across the back line and midfield. Sassuolo’s Sebastiano Esposito and Napoli’s Antonio Vergara bring new attacking options, while Nurnberg’s Mohamed Ali Zoma completes the group of newcomers.

This is not tinkering. It is a deliberate injection of youth and variety, with Mancini clearly ready to test who can handle the jump at international level.

Young Talent Retained, Leaders Still Central

Amid the upheaval, some threads of continuity remain.

Borussia Dortmund forward Samuele Inacio, eligible for Brazil through his father but committed to Italy, keeps his place. So does fellow 18-year-old Honest Ahanor, currently on loan at Crystal Palace from Chelsea. Both represent the new face of the Azzurri attack: young, mobile, and already exposed to high-level football abroad.

Around them, the senior core still carries weight. Arsenal defender Riccardo Calafiori is in. Inter’s Federico Dimarco and Nicolo Barella are there, standard-bearers for club and country. Tottenham’s Sandro Tonali returns to the fold, while Como’s Moise Kean is also included, handed yet another chance to convert promise into consistency on the international stage.

This mix of hardened Serie A regulars, Premier League performers and emerging talents from across Europe gives Mancini a varied, if untested, palette.

A Demanding Nations League Schedule

Italy will assemble at Coverciano next Monday for their first training session under Mancini’s second reign. There will be little time for nostalgia.

On September 25, the Azzurri launch their Nations League campaign at the Stadio Olimpico against Belgium, a fixture loaded with recent history and lingering tension. Three days later, they head to Bursa to face Turkey, a trip that rarely offers comfort or calm.

Then comes the glamour and the test of steel: a clash with 2026 World Cup semi-finalists France in Saint-Denis on October 2, a night that will measure just how quickly this new-look squad can gel. The window closes on October 5, when Italy welcome Turkey to the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara in Bologna.

By then, the picture will be clearer. Are these bold selections the start of a genuine renaissance, or the first painful steps of a long rebuild?