Italy head coach Roberto Mancini has outlined his tactical vision and squad rejuvenation strategy ahead of upcoming UEFA Nations League matches against France and Belgium. Mancini challenged Nicolo Zaniolo to become a decisive leader while explaining the midfield search for a regista and the omission of senior veterans.
Mancini drives Azzurri rejuvenation ahead of Nations League ties
Italy head coach Roberto Mancini has detailed his squad selection philosophy as the Azzurri assemble at Coverciano for crucial UEFA Nations League fixtures against France and Belgium. Mancini has placed heavy emphasis on integrating emerging prospects alongside established names, creating a youthful group focused on long-term growth.
With several senior figures left out of the camp, players like Udinese attacker Nicolo Zaniolo are expected to assume greater leadership.
Mancini emphasised that evaluating fresh technical talent firsthand is vital for building national team depth.
Zaniolo challenged to become a decisive senior leader
Addressing Zaniolo's evolving role within a younger setup, Mancini made it clear that the versatile 27-year-old must transition into a consistent match-winner.
"I expect the same thing as everyone else. Perform well and be consistent. Start becoming decisive because time passes by," Mancini stated. "He used to be a kid, and now he should be a player who makes a difference with the national team."
Highlighting Zaniolo's tactical flexibility, Mancini added: "Zaniolo can play everywhere with his qualities. Attacking midfielder, winger or striker. Back in 2018, we had more experienced players. Giorgio, Leo, Verratti, Jorginho, were the most experienced ones. Today we don't have many."
Search for a regista and integrating young playmakers
Turning to midfield balance, Mancini addressed the call-up of Cagliari youngster Alessandro Romano and Como's Riccardo Cassano while offering an honest assessment of Italy's playmaker shortage.
"Romano was another guy who was halfway, but picked us. He's young; he needs to play, and he can make mistakes. Nobody is perfect," Mancini noted. "My regista? Right now we don't have a regista. Are you talking about someone like Jorginho? We don't have one. We hope someone can emerge in the coming months. We tried Tonali and other players can adapt."
Evaluating Cassano's potential, Mancini added: "Cassano might be a player we missed right now. He must improve physically, but he has the quality for a regista. He plays in a team that plays football in a certain way and they can be important for the future of the national team."
Strategic veteran omissions as Italy target quarter-finals
Mancini also clarified why European champions Federico Bernardeschi and Bryan Cristante were omitted, alongside uncalled domestic form players like Frosinone midfielder Giacomo Calo.
"We know Bernardeschi and Cristante, so we don't need to call them to try them. When we need players of this level, we'll call them. Now we need to find different solutions and try to make young players earn experience," Mancini explained. "Calo is one of the players doing well. Frosinone have 3-4 players who are good. We can't call players who are already 29 or 30 right now. When we need them, we'll do it, but not because his agent tells us so."
Italy host France at a sold-out San Siro on Thursday before travelling to Brussels to face Belgium on Sunday, aiming to secure a quarter-final berth in League A.
A sports journalist with nearly a decade of experience, beginning the professional journey at Indonesia's legendary Tabloid BOLA from 2017 until its final print edition in December 2018. Following that, joining GOAL, contributing as a freelance writer for FIFA, and working within the media department of the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF). Alongside the journalism career, also active as a live play-by-play commentator for Indonesian football since 2017. Holds a bachelor's degree in History from the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung.
Football Story
Footballing identity built on geography, heritage, and childhood obsession. Although the father played for a traditional rival club, nine years living in Bandung made Persib a spiritual home, sparked in 2006 by Thai goalkeeper Kosin Hathairattanakool and witnessing firsthand how deeply locals own the club. Globally, the first true love was Ronaldo and Inter Milan, enduring the heartbreak of near-misses during injury-plagued years. With Dutch roots in Rotterdam, making Feyenoord the club of choice, the Netherlands national team has always remained close to the heart, highlighted by the 2010 World Cup final, a live 2013 friendly against Indonesia, and Oranje Indonesia watch parties. Arjen Robben and Giovanni van Bronckhorst remain ultimate favorites, while Football Manager 2005 sparked a lasting admiration for Athletic Bilbao’s philosophy. Outside football, allegiance lies with the Chicago Bulls and Golden State Warriors through icons like Michael Jordan, Derrick Rose, and Stephen Curry.
Areas of Expertise
Areas of expertise span Indonesian football and Liga 1 data insights and unique features, alongside Southeast Asian and East Asian football landscapes covering Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Japan, and Korea. Additional skills include digital and social media video content creation such as Instagram reels and podcasts, as well as player profiling, feature writing, live broadcasting, interviewing, photography, and multilingual communication in basic français and español .
Favourite Footballing Memory
Combining a passion for backpacking with professional assignments has made it possible to pursue two goals simultaneously. Meeting and interviewing various Indonesian players pursuing careers or currently based abroad, ranging from across Southeast Asia to Europe, has been an absolute privilege and honor. Traveling independently through the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France, and Japan to track down and connect with Indonesian players competing abroad remains a truly cherished experience. Crafting interview content with them is a body of work that will always hold a special place in memory.
My All-Time XI
It’s tough to lock down a definitive starting XI, but the non-negotiables are Manuel Neuer or Rogério Ceni in goal; alongside Javier Zanetti, Sergio Ramos, N'Golo Kanté, Toni Kroos, Arjen Robben, Mo Salah, and Zlatan Ibrahimović. Juan Román Riquelme or Michael Laudrup most likely complete the tactical puzzle. While legends like Lothar Matthäus, Zinedine Zidane, and Ronaldo are impossible to overlook, they were left out simply because they feature in everyone else's lineup.
