Historic Italy with youngest average starting XI since 1912 | OneFootball

Italy make history by fielding a starting XI with the average age of 21 years and 354 days, the youngest since December 1912.

It kicks off at the Stade de Luxembourg at 19.45 UK time (20.45 CEST).

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens on the Liveblog.

This is the first of two matches under interim coach Silvio Baldini, who stepped up from the Under-21 side following the World Cup play-off defeat and Gennaro Gattuso’s resignation.

The Nazionale will be away to Greece on Sunday evening before calling it a day for 2025-26.

Italy launch young talent

Niccolò Pisilli celebrates his goal for Italy against Montenegro in the European Under-21 Championship qualifier (@azzurri)

Baldini decided to call up largely uncapped and new players for the tests, giving them an opportunity to show what they can do at this level.

It means the average age of the starting XI is 21 years and 354 days.

The last time the Azzurri had a younger line-up was in December 1912 when facing Austria in another friendly match, as the team’s average age was 21 years and 308 days.

MILAN, ITALY – MARCH 14: Francesco Pio Esposito of Inter warms up prior to the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and Atalanta BC at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on March 14, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

There are only four players in the entire squad who already have senior caps, namely Gianluigi Donnarumma, Marco Palestra, Niccolò Pisilli and Francesco Pio Esposito.