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▲ ⓒItalian Football Federation SNS
[SPOTV News=Reporter Shin In-seop] Italy’s Azzurri have unveiled a surprisingly young roster for their upcoming friendlies — the squad’s average age is just 20 years and six months.
On May 26 (Korea time), Football Italia reported that interim coach Silvio Baldini has effectively assembled a new group of players for friendlies against Luxembourg and Greece.
Italy failed to secure direct qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico. They finished behind Norway in European Qualifying Group I and were pushed into the playoff route.
The road to qualification was rocky. Italy reached European Playoff Path A and kept hopes alive with a 2-0 win over Northern Ireland in the first round, but they lost the decisive final to Bosnia and missed out on the World Cup for a third consecutive tournament.
Italy’s last World Cup appearance came in 2014 in Brazil. After lifting the trophy in 2006, the Azzurri suffered group-stage exits in both 2010 and 2014 and slipped from the sport’s elite. Their Euro 2020 victory hinted at a revival, but failing to qualify for three straight World Cups has deepened the crisis.
High-profile figures took responsibility and stepped down. FIGC president Gabriele Gravina and national team director Gianluigi Buffon left their posts, and coach Gennaro Gattuso also resigned, prompting a broader overhaul.
With no permanent coach in place, Italy will turn to U-21 manager Silvio Baldini as interim boss for the June international window. The Azzurri face Luxembourg on June 3 and Greece on June 7.
The squad is exceptionally young. Football Italia quoted Baldini saying he doesn’t need to call the usual senior internationals and will prioritize young players — especially those likely to make their senior debuts. Apart from goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, most selections are promising prospects.
The average age is only 20 years, six months. The only players with senior caps are Pietro Comuzzo, Nicolò Fisoli, Marco Palestra, Francesco Pio Esposito and Donnarumma.
# Italy national team A-match squad for June 2026
GK: Giovanni Dapara (Avellino), Gianluigi Donnarumma (Manchester City), Lorenzo Palmisani (Frosinone)
DF: Onest Ahanor (Atalanta), Davide Bartesaghi (Milan), Fabio Chiarodia (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Pietro Comuzzo (Fiorentina), Costantino Pavasuli (Catanzaro), Filippo Mane (Borussia Dortmund), Marco Palestra (Cagliari), Luca Regiani (Borussia Dortmund)
MF: Matteo Dagašo (Venezia), Giacomo Paticanti (Juventus), Luca Ripani (Sassuolo), Sher Endur (Fiorentina), Nicolò Fisoli (Roma), Lorenzo Venturino (Roma)
FW: Francesco Camarda (Lecce), Luigi Cherubini (Sampdoria), Jeff Ektor (Genoa), Francesco Pio Esposito (Inter Milan), Seidu Fini (Frosinone), Samuele Ignacio (Borussia Dortmund), Luca Koleosho (Paris FC)
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