Italy’s Fresh Lineup for Moldova and Norway: Debuts, Returns, and a World Cup Qualifiers Kickstart
7 November 2025
New Italy Squad for Moldova and Norway
Gennaro Gattuso, Italy’s head coach, announced the Azzurri squad for the European qualifying fixtures for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, staged next summer.
The 27-man squad will face Moldova on 13 November, before hosting Norway at San Siro on 16 November.
Ilia Caprile of Cagliari earned his first senior call-up, while Alessandro Bongiorno and Samuel Ricci returned after several months away, joining the national team for the first time under Gattuso.
Bongiorno had not featured for Italy since March 2025, and Ricci’s last international recall came in June of that year.
Gianluca Scamacca also returned from injury, while Nicolò Barella will miss the Moldova game due to a one-match suspension for cards.
The following is the squad announced by Gattuso:
Goalkeepers: Ilia Caprile (Cagliari) - Marco Carnesecchi (Atalanta) - Gianluigi Donnarumma (Manchester City) - Guglielmo Vicario (Tottenham).
Defenders: Alessandro Bastoni (Inter) - Raúl Bellanova (Atalanta) - Alessandro Bongiorno (Napoli) - Riccardo Calafiori (Arsenal) - Andrea Cambiaso (Juventus) - Giovanni Di Lorenzo (Napoli) - Federico Dimarco (Inter) - Matteo Gabbi(a) (Milan) - Gianluca Mancini (Roma).
Midfielders: Nicolò Barella (Inter) - Bryan Cristante (Roma) - Davide Frattesi (Inter) - Manuel Locatelli (Juventus) - Samuel Ricci (Milan) - Sandro Tonali (Newcastle).
Forwards: Francesco Esposito (Inter) - Moise Kean (Fiorentina) - Riccardo Orsolini (Bologna) - Matteo Politano (Napoli) - Giacomo Raspadori (Atl Madrid) - Matteo Ritigi (Al Hilal) - Gianluca Scamacca (Atalanta) - Matteo Zaccagni (Lazio).
Notable absences include Federico Chiesa and Nicolò Zaniolo, while Caprile’s inclusion marks a clear nod to the future alongside a mix of experienced performers.
Shaping the squad, Gattuso stressed a balance between endured experience and fresh talent as Italy looks to secure a solid start in the qualifiers.
Two punchlines to wrap it up: If Italy’s game plan were a sniper’s shot, it would hit the target before the defense even blinks. And if humor were a player, this team would still prefer a corner kick—always a chance for a surprise twist.
