Official: Gattuso confirms Italy squad for World Cup play-off – Chiesa returns, Vicario dropped | OneFootball

Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso has named his 28-man squad for the World Cup play-off, with Federico Chiesa returning to the team while Guglielmo Vicario is dropped.

The FIGC confirmed Gattuso’s squad for the 2026 World Cup play-off on Friday.

Liverpool winger Chiesa returns to the team for the first time since 2024.

The last time Chiesa had played for the national team was in the Euro 2024 Round of 16 tie against Switzerland.

Newcastle star Sandro Tonali is regularly part of the squad despite suffering an injury during Wednesday’s Champions League match against Barcelona.

Exams undergone on Thursday, in fact, ruled out a serious muscle lesion for the ex-Milan ace.

Cagliari’s Marco Palestra earns his first senior call-up, while Tottenham’s Vicario is not part of the team as Gattuso has picked Elia Caprile, Marco Carnesecchi, Gianluigi Donnarumma and Alex Meret.

Guglielmo Vicario of Tottenham Hotspur claps the fans during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur FC and Manchester United FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on February 16, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Italy will play North Macedonia in the play-off semifinal on March 26 and the potential Final will be played on March 31, away against Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Italy squad for 2026 World Cup play-off

MADRID, SPAIN – MARCH 11: Gianluigi Donnarumma of Manchester City celebrates after saving a penalty by Vinicius Junior of Real Madrid (not pictured) during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 Round of 16 First Leg match between Real Madrid CF and Manchester City FC at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on March 11, 2026 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images)

Goalkeepers: Elia Caprile (Cagliari), Marco Carnesecchi (Atalanta), Gianluigi Donnarumma (Manchester City), Alex Meret (Napoli);

Defenders: Alessandro Bastoni (Inter), Alessandro Buongiorno (Napoli), Riccardo Calafiori (Arsenal), Andrea Cambiaso (Juventus), Diego Coppola (Paris FC), Federico Dimarco (Inter), Federico Gatti (Juventus), Gianluca Mancini (Roma), Marco Palestra (Cagliari), Giorgio Scalvini (Atalanta), Leonardo Spinazzola (Napoli);

Midfielders: Nicolò Barella (Inter), Bryan Cristante (Roma), Davide Frattesi (Inter), Manuel Locatelli (Juventus), Niccolò Pisilli (Roma), Sandro Tonali (Newcastle);

Attackers: Federico Chiesa (Liverpool), Francesco Pio Esposito (Inter), Moise Kean (Fiorentina), Matteo Politano (Napoli), Giacomo Raspadori (Atalanta), Mateo Retegui (Al-Qadsiah), Gianluca Scamacca (Atalanta).