Roberto Mancini's Bold New Squad for Italy's UEFA Nations League Campaign

Roberto Mancini has wasted no time in stamping his authority on Italy – again.

Back in the Azzurri dugout after Gennaro Gattuso’s short-lived spell and a third straight World Cup failure, the 61-year-old has announced a bold 34-man squad for the upcoming UEFA Nations League campaign, and it is anything but a nostalgia tour.

New era, familiar face

Mancini’s return, confirmed by the FIGC at the end of July, brings back the coach who delivered Euro 2020 glory. But the squad list underlines how far that team now feels in the past.

Only six survivors from Wembley remain: Gianluigi Donnarumma, Alessandro Bastoni, Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Nicolo Barella, Bryan Cristante and Giacomo Raspadori. Everyone else will watch this new cycle from home or fight their way back later.

Italy open their League A Group 1 campaign with four games across the September/October international break: Belgium at home, France away, and a double-header against Turkey. It’s a demanding start, and Mancini has chosen upheaval over comfort.

Big names cut, new blood in

The headline omissions jump off the page. Chelsea’s Marco Palestra, Tottenham’s Destiny Udogie and Liverpool’s Federico Chiesa are all out of the squad.

Palestra, recently sidelined by injury and only two caps into his international career after debuting in March, misses out. Udogie has not featured for Italy since June 2025. Chiesa, once a symbol of the Euro 2020 triumph, hasn’t played for the national team since Euro 2024 despite a call-up earlier this year.

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 also absent, as is Mateo Retegui, now at Al-Qadsiah.

The message is clear: reputations don’t guarantee a place.

In their place, Mancini has thrown the door open to nine newcomers.

Brentford right-back Michael Kayode and 18-year-old Bologna goalkeeper Massimo Pessina headline the list of debutants. Roma defender Daniele Ghilardi, Monza’s Eddy Kouadio, Cagliari’s Alessandro Romano, Sporting Lisbon’s Issa Doumbia, Sassuolo’s Sebastiano Esposito, Napoli midfielder Antonio Vergara and Nurnberg’s Mohamed Ali Zoma all receive their first senior call-up.

It’s a sweeping refresh, heavy on youth and opportunity.

Young talent kept in the frame

Not everyone is starting from scratch. Borussia Dortmund forward Samuele Inacio, born to a Brazilian father but committed to Italy, keeps his place in the squad. So does fellow 18-year-old Honest Ahanor, currently on loan at Crystal Palace from Chelsea.

Around them, a core of established names remains to carry the weight of expectation. Arsenal’s Riccardo Calafiori, Inter duo Federico Dimarco and Nicolo Barella, Tottenham midfielder Sandro Tonali and Como striker Moise Kean are all included, giving Mancini a spine that mixes experience with the raw energy of the newcomers.

Nations League test ahead

Italy will gather at Coverciano next Monday for their first training session under Mancini’s second reign. Then the games come quickly.

On September 25, the Azzurri kick off their Nations League campaign at Stadio Olimpico against Belgium. 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.

The break closes on October 5 in Bologna, where Italy host Turkey at Stadio Renato Dall’Ara.

Four matches. One returning coach. A squad ripped up and reimagined.

For Mancini and Italy, this isn’t just a new chapter. It’s a test of whether a rebuilt Azzurri can rediscover their edge against Europe’s elite – and how quickly this new generation can prove they belong.