Lesser-known Italy internationals to watch out for

Roberto Mancini has sprung a host of surprises, when it comes to call-ups for the Italian national team. Multiple fresh faces have been given an opportunity for feature for the Azzurri at the UEFA Nations League and this brings a layer of excitement to what has been a disappointing few years in Calcio.

Get Italian Football News now look at some lesser-known players who can possible make a mark – now and in the future.

Alessandro Romano

The 20-year-old midfielder has become one of the most talked-about young players in Serie A. Italy took advantage of this by getting Romano to switch to the Azzurri and convince him to not play for Switzerland.

This move could be huge, as Romano is thriving in a loan at Cagliari, who have the conditional obligation to buy him permanently from Roma.

A lot of Italy’s problems on the pitch come from their failure to control games. This was seen in the loss to Bosnia and players like Romano will change that, as they grow into better midfielders. 

Even as a 17-year-old, the talent was around Roma’s first-team squad and Cagliari are a club which developed Marco Palestra last season. This is a sign that Romano’s career is on the right track.

Eddy Kouadio

The young centre-back is one of the most unexpected call-ups, especially considering how he was never quite handed a regular spot at Fiorentina until last season. This saw him get loaned out to Monza, where he has been a regular and was key in their win over Sassuolo on Friday evening.

This decision perhaps indicates how Kouadio has always been on the Azzurri radar. It is also perhaps good that he never found himself in a compromised state because of Fiorentina’s struggles last season.

An imposing physical specimen, Kouadio can play across the backline and can also slot into a back three. He boasts reliable ability on the ball and is very football-focused too. He is known as a private person who isn’t on social media and spends more time with himself than on a phone.

The fact that Fiorentina have let him go on a straight loan says everything about their belief in the defender.

Mo Ali Zona

Out of all the call-ups, it was the Nurnberg striker’s inclusion that sparked surprise. After all, he has mounted a journey which has spanned several seasons in Serie A and the 2.Bundesliga and he now finds himself with the Azzurri.

Ali Zona already has five goals in just as many games for the German side. He became a recognised goalscorer at AlbinoLeffe, which prompted him to make a bigger move.

Curiously, he can play centrally and on the left and this comes at a point when Mattia Zacagni isn’t seen as a big part of Roberto Mancini’s plans. Ali Zona boasts the unpredictability that a new Italian team needs and hasn’t exactly had since Federico Chiesa was thriving.

The 22-year-old is highly coveted, as Nurnberg rejected offers from England for him and his stock is clearly rising.

Issa Doumbia

To many followers of the Italian game, Issa Doumbia isn’t a fresh prospect by any means. He was key for Venezia last season, helping them return to the Serie A and this helped him earn a huge move to Sporting in the summer.

He has featured quite a bit for the Italy U21s setup and is well-known across the Italian game. But his call-up comes at a point where he could fix a similar problem as what Romano would look to do. After the Euros in 2021, the Azzurri’s midfield has declined. Key players like Marco Verratti and Jorginho have moved on, leaving them with midfield options that are far better in the opposition’s box.

Doumbia is a conductor who carries it forward, wins it back and can even slot in alongside Romano in what could be a ‘centrocampo per il futuro’ – or a midfield for the future. The prospect is exciting and Mancini is trying to lay down the foundation for exactly that.

Kaustubh Pandey – GIFN