Roberto Mancini Names Bold 34-Man Squad for UEFA Nations League
Roberto Mancini has wasted no time in stamping his authority on Italy’s new era, naming a bold 34-man squad for the upcoming UEFA Nations League campaign in his first move since returning as head coach.
The 61-year-old’s comeback was confirmed by the FIGC at the end of July, after Gennaro Gattuso’s departure and the Azzurri’s latest World Cup failure – a third straight tournament missed. Now comes the reset. And it looks ruthless.
Only six Euro 2020 heroes survive
Mancini’s list is a clear break from the side that won Euro 2020. Just six players from that triumph remain: Gianluigi Donnarumma, Alessandro Bastoni, Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Nicolo Barella, Bryan Cristante and Giacomo Raspadori.
Everyone else? Either moved on or left fighting to get back in.
The new cycle begins with four League A Group 1 fixtures across the September–October international window: Belgium at home, France away, and a double-header against Turkey. It is a demanding start, and Mancini has chosen upheaval over comfort.
Big names cut as injuries and form bite
Some absences jump off the page. Chelsea’s Marco Palestra, recently sidelined by injury, is out. So too are Tottenham Hotspur’s Destiny Udogie and Liverpool’s Federico Chiesa, three names that would usually sit near the top of any Italy squad list.
Palestra, capped twice, made his debut only in March. Udogie has not featured for Italy since June 2025. Chiesa, once a talismanic figure, was called up earlier this year but has not played for the Azzurri since Euro 2024. All three now find themselves on the outside looking in.
They are not alone. Juventus trio Manuel Locatelli, Federico Gatti and Andrea Cambiaso miss out. Napoli pair Leonardo Spinazzola and Alessandro Buongiorno are also absent, as is Mateo Retegui, now at Al-Qadsiah. These are not fringe players. They are established internationals, left behind as Mancini redraws the map.
Nine fresh faces as Mancini turns the page
In their place comes a wave of youth and new blood. Mancini has called up nine uncapped players, signalling a squad built with tomorrow in mind as much as the next match.
Brentford right-back Michael Kayode is among the headline inclusions, rewarded for his rise in the Premier League. Between the posts, 18-year-old Bologna goalkeeper Massimo Pessina earns his first senior call, a clear nod to the future behind Donnarumma.
There is a strong Serie A flavour to the rest of the newcomers. Roma’s Daniele Ghilardi, Monza’s Eddy Kouadio, Cagliari’s Alessandro Romano and Sassuolo’s Sebastiano Esposito all step into the senior setup for the first time. Abroad, Sporting Lisbon’s Issa Doumbia, Napoli’s Antonio Vergara and Nurnberg’s Mohamed Ali Zoma also receive their debut invitations.
The message is unmistakable: no one’s place is guaranteed, and youth will get its chance.
Young talents keep their place
Not everyone is new. Some of the brightest prospects from the previous cycle keep their spots and will now try to grow into leading roles.
Borussia Dortmund forward Samuele Inacio, born to a Brazilian father but committed to Italy, stays in the squad. So does fellow 18-year-old Honest Ahanor, currently on loan at Crystal Palace from Chelsea. Both represent the changing face of the Azzurri: young, versatile, and already tested outside Serie A.
Around them, Mancini has retained a core of senior figures to steady the transition. Arsenal’s Riccardo Calafiori, Inter duo Federico Dimarco and Nicolo Barella, Tottenham midfielder Sandro Tonali and Como forward Moise Kean all make the cut, offering experience at the highest level and familiarity with international pressure.
A brutal schedule to test a new Italy
There will be no gentle warm-up. Italy meet at Coverciano next Monday for their first training session under Mancini’s second reign, then dive straight into a brutal Nations League run.
On September 25, the Azzurri open at Stadio Olimpico against Belgium, a fixture that rarely passes quietly. Three days later they head to Bursa to face Turkey, before travelling to Saint-Denis to meet 2026 World Cup semi-finalists France on October 2, a clash that will expose every weakness and every promise of this rebuilt side.
The international break closes on October 5 at Stadio Renato Dall’Ara, where Italy host Turkey again in what could already feel like a defining game in Group 1.
Mancini has ripped up large parts of the old script. The squad is younger, riskier, less predictable. The fixtures are unforgiving. Now the question hangs over Coverciano and the Olimpico alike: can this new-look Italy grow up fast enough under the glare of the Nations League?
