Roberto Mancini Names Bold 34-Man Squad for UEFA Nations League

Roberto Mancini has wasted no time. In his first major act since returning to the Italy dugout, the 61-year-old has named a bold 34-man squad for the upcoming UEFA Nations League campaign – and it looks very different to the side that conquered Europe three years ago.

Re-appointed at the end of July after Gennaro Gattuso’s departure and a bruising failure to reach a third straight World Cup, Mancini now walks back into a job he knows well, but into a landscape that has clearly changed. His opening assignment is brutal: four League A Group 1 clashes across the September/October window against Belgium, France and a double-header with Turkey.

Euro 2020 core almost gone

Only six survivors of that Euro 2020 triumph remain. Gianluigi Donnarumma, Alessandro Bastoni, Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Nicolo Barella, Bryan Cristante and Giacomo Raspadori are the last pillars standing from Wembley.

Around them, the reset is stark. Chelsea defender Marco Palestra, still working his way back from injury, has been left out despite making his debut in March and earning two caps. Destiny Udogie, who hasn’t featured for the Azzurri since June 2025, also misses out, as does Liverpool’s Federico Chiesa, whose last Italy appearance dates back to Euro 2024 despite a call-up earlier this year.

They are not alone. Juventus trio Manuel Locatelli, Federico Gatti and Andrea Cambiaso are all absent. So too Napoli pair Leonardo Spinazzola and Alessandro Buongiorno, and Al-Qadsiah striker Mateo Retegui. Names that once felt central to Italy’s plans are, for now, on the outside.

Nine fresh faces

Mancini has swung the door open to a new generation instead, handing first call-ups to nine players.

• Brentford right-back Michael Kayode headlines that group, joined by 18-year-old Bologna goalkeeper Massimo Pessina.
• Roma defender Daniele Ghilardi and Monza’s Eddy Kouadio are also rewarded, as Cagliari’s Alessandro Romano steps into the senior setup for the first time.
• The net stretches beyond Serie A. Sporting Lisbon’s Issa Doumbia and Sassuolo’s Sebastiano Esposito are in, as is Napoli midfielder Antonio Vergara.
• Completing the list is Nurnberg’s Mohamed Ali Zoma, another fresh name in a squad that signals a clear change of direction.

The blend of youth and overseas experience underlines Mancini’s intent: this is not a nostalgic comeback. It is a rebuild.

Young talent kept at the heart

Not everyone is new. Borussia Dortmund forward Samuele Inacio keeps his place. Born in Italy to a Brazilian father, he has nailed his colours to the Azzurri mast and remains part of Mancini’s plans. Alongside him, fellow 18-year-old Honest Ahanor – on loan at Crystal Palace from Chelsea – also retains his spot, a sign that the coach is ready to trust teenagers in meaningful games.

Around them, established names will carry the responsibility. Arsenal’s Riccardo Calafiori is included, as are Inter’s Federico Dimarco and the ever-present Barella. Tottenham midfielder Sandro Tonali returns to the national picture, and Como forward Moise Kean is also selected, offering power and versatility in attack.

This is not a squad picked to simply survive a Nations League group. It is one that has to grow quickly under pressure.

Brutal schedule, immediate test

Italy will gather at Coverciano next Monday for their first training session under Mancini’s second spell. The serious work starts fast.

On September 25, the Azzurri open their Nations League campaign at Stadio Olimpico against Belgium, a fixture that rarely feels like anything less than a measuring stick for Italy’s ambitions.

Three days later they head to Bursa to face Turkey, before travelling to Saint-Denis on October 2 to meet 2026 World Cup semi-finalists France in a marquee clash that will expose any fault lines in this reshaped squad.

The break closes back on home soil on October 5, when Italy host Turkey at Stadio Renato Dall’Ara.

Four games. Little time. A new core. Mancini has his second chance – now the question is whether this revamped Italy can seize theirs.