Who are the six talents given 1st Italy call-up by Gattuso | OneFootball

Gennaro Gattuso has recently been appointed as Italy‘s new coach, and the former midfielder has already given the first call-up to six emerging talents.

Gattuso was appointed in June 2025 to replace Luciano Spalletti who had lost 3-0 against Norway in the opening World Cup qualifying match.

Italy failed to qualify for the World Cup in 2018 and 2022 and Gattuso has been tasked with bringing the Azzurri back to the most important competition in football.

Six Italy debutants under Gattuso

ROME, ITALY – JUNE 19: The Italy new head coach Gennaro Gattuso attends the press conference at Hotel Parco dei Principi on June 19, 2025 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)

The objective, however, is as tough as ever, as highlighted by non gamstop casinos, given that Norway are the leader in Group I with a six-point lead over Italy, who have a game in hand, and a massive gap in goal difference.

The debate over the development of Italian football has been ongoing for nearly ten years now, but nobody seems to have found the solution to the rise of fresh, attacking talent and a stable national team that can fight with the best countries in the world.

Like many of his predecessors, Gattuso has given the first call-up to a few promising players. Giovanni Leoni (Liverpool), Giovanni Fabbian (Bologna) and Francesco Pio Esposito (Inter) were Italy’s debutants in September, while those of October are Hans Nicolussi Caviglia and Roberto Piccoli (Fiorentina) and Nicolò Cambiaghi (Bologna).

Leoni and Fabbian didn’t make their senior debut eventually, as they were sent to the stands in games against Estonia and Israel, while Pio Esposito did make his debut against Estonia and was called up for the October games as well.

“Surely, everything is happening very quickly. I’m happy about the first call-up and my debut with Inter, which was the final step of a journey I started in the academy,” the promising Inter striker said at a press conference in September.

“Balance is essential because in football, everything can change very quickly.”

New options in attack and midfield

FLORENCE, ITALY – OCTOBER 2: Roberto Piccoli of ACF Fiorentina celebrates after scoring a goal during the UEFA Conference League 2025/26 League Phase MD1 match between ACF Fiorentina and SK Sigma Olomouc at Stadio Artemio Franchi on October 2, 2025 in Florence, Italy. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images)

Piccoli, on the other hand, was called up as a replacement for Mattia Zaccagni in October. The Lazio star suffered a muscle injury before the latest Serie A weekend and was forced to withdraw from the Azzurri squad as well.

Whether Piccoli, Nicolussi Caviglia and Cambiaghi will make their international debut in October remains to be seen, but Gattuso has already proved to have strong confidence in young players.

Italy have been out of the World Cup for way too many years and having a good mix of experienced and young footballers will be key to returning to the top of world football and competing with the best countries on the planet.