Bernardeschi hopes make Italy World Cup squad with Chiesa: ‘Deserves to be there’ | OneFootball

Federico Bernardeschi has made it clear that he wants to be included in Gennaro Gattuso’s World Cup squad assuming that Italy qualify, and says that he wants to make the cut alongside his old friend and former teammate Federico Chiesa: ‘He deserves to be there’.

Bernardeschi was among the guest speakers at the Festival dello Sport in Trento over the weekend, along with the likes of Luciano Spalletti, Roberto Mancini, Zinedine Zidane and Mario Balotelli.

Bernardeschi on Chiesa and Italy World Cup goal: ‘He deserves it’

Among the topics of discussion during Bernardeschi’s talk was the Italy national team, his desire to make it back into the squad, and the long-term goal of a going to the World Cup in North America in the summer.

BERGAMO, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 05: Coach Gennaro Gattuso of Italy looks on prior to the National anthems prior to the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier match between Italy and Estonia at Stadio di Bergamo on September 05, 2025 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Mattia Ozbot/Getty Images)

Bernardeschi, who scored the winning penalty for Italy in the EURO 2020 final against England, has not played for Italy since 2022, when he left Serie A to join Toronto FC in MLS.

His former Fiorentina and Juventus teammate, Chiesa, has also been left out of the national team squad since EURO 2024, but both have a shared desire to make it into Gattuso’s plans.

Discussing his relationship with Chiesa, Bernardeschi said: “I really love Fede like a brother. He deserves it, he has deserved it and will deserve it again.”

He continued: “I think we need this sort of pure talent, even if they are sometimes criticised. In the end, talent is talent. And that shows in tough moments, like with what happened to him last year, but look at how he’s coming out of it.

NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND – AUGUST 25: Federico Chiesa of Liverpool during the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Liverpool at St James’ Park on August 25, 2025 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)

“We talk a lot, he’s at a great team and if he’s there, it’s because he deserves to be there.”

And discussing their shared goal of making it to the World Cup in North America, Bernardeschi said: “We hope to be there together. Neither of us has gone to one yet, it would be nice to go together, for everyone, also for Italy.”