Gennaro Gattuso and his coaching staff have been busy speaking and meeting with a long list of players ahead of the World Cup play-offs in March, and according to recent reports from La Gazzetta dello Sport, there are currently around 50 players on the Italy national team radar. Here is a look at all of them.
Italy have not yet secured their spot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America and must go through the play-offs if they are to avoid missing out on the final tournament for the third cycle in a row.
The Azzurri will play against Northern Ireland in Bergamo on March 26 in the World Cup play-off semi-final, and should they win that game, they will progress to a one-legged play-off final away against either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina a few days later: A one-off knock-out match for a spot at the World Cup.
Gattuso and his staff had sought to bring the national team squad together once more before the World Cup play-offs in March, given that they have not got together since the end of the November international break.
This has not been possible, however, largely due to a congested fixture schedule at club level.
Instead, Gattuso and his staff have arranged a series of meetings and dinners with groups of Italy players and national team hopefuls over the last few months in an attempt to keep the squad somewhat together.
Here is the long list of players Gattuso has supposedly spoken to ahead of the World Cup play-offs.
Which Italy players has Gattuso spoken to ahead of World Cup play-offs?
Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Donnarumma (Manchester City), Guglielmo Vicario (Tottenham), Marco Carnesecchi (Atalanta), Elia Caprile (Cagliari), Alex Meret (Napoli).
Defenders: Alessandro Bastoni (Inter), Riccardo Calafiori (Arsenal), Gianluca Mancini (Roma), Giovanni Di Lorenzo (Napoli), Alessandro Buongiorno (Napoli), Matteo Gabbia (Milan), Giorgio Scalvini (Atalanta), Federico Gatti (Juventus), Diego Coppola (Brighton/Paris FC), Giovanni Leoni (Liverpool), Honest Ahanor (Atalanta).
Wing-backs: Andrea Cambiaso (Juventus), Marco Palestra (Atalanta/Cagliari), Federico Dimarco (Inter), Destiny Udogie (Tottenham), Leonardo Spinazzola (Napoli).
Midfielders: Nicolo Barella (Inter), Sandro Tonali (Newcastle), Manuel Locatelli (Juventus), Davide Frattesi (Inter), Marco Verratti (Al Duhail), Nicolo Rovella (Lazio), Samuele Ricci (Milan), Niccolo Pisilli (Roma), Fabio Miretti (Juventus), Lorenzo Pellegrini (Roma), Giovanni Fabbian (Bologna/Fiorentina), Nicolo Fagioli (Fiorentina), Cesare Casadei (Torino).
Trequartistas/Wingers: Matteo Politano (Napoli), Mattia Zaccagni (Lazio), Antonio Vergara (Napoli), Federico Chiesa (Liverpool), Daniel Maldini (Atalanta/Lazio), Nicolo Cambiaghi (Bologna), Riccardo Orsolini (Bologna), Nicolo Zaniolo (Udinese).
Strikers: Moise Kean (Fiorentina), Mateo Retegui (Al-Qadsiah), Pio Esposito (Inter), Gianluca Scamacca (Atalanta), Giacomo Raspadori (Atalanta), Wilfried Gnonto (Leeds).
Bartesaghi?
don’t think the list is right if Gnonto is in it as he has played very very little over the last 3 months (and it is Leeds not Man city or Arsenal we are talking about here)but then again Gattuso the coach so..
Can’t possibly imagine why Kayode is being ignored. He is one of the very best right-backs in the Premier League. Shame on Gattuso if he doesn’t select him.
No talking to Dominico Berardi? With the quality strikers and and attacking mid fielders would he not provide excellent service. Also, he has ability to score dribble and defend.
Precisely correct Ron and Chris!
Nicolo Zaniolo should be picked because of his great form and experience with the national team. I believe he will be a key component in qualifying Italy. Nicolo Zaniolo, is a team player. He is a very good playmaker and scores gols.