Malagò: ‘Italy shouldn’t limit itself to World Cup qualification, Romano not the only one’ | OneFootball

FIGC President Giovanni Malagò insists that Italy should be aiming for more than just qualification to the next World Cup, that his predecessor Gabriele Gravina was right to resign after failing to qualify for the 2026 tournament, and has hinted that Alessandro Romano is not the only player considering switching nationalities to represent the Azzurri.

Malagò speaks ahead of Italy squad announcement: ‘Romano not the only one’

Italy are preparing for their first international commitments of the 2026-27 season, with Nations League matches against Belgium, Turkiye, France and Turkiye again coming up in late September and early October.

FIGC President Giovanni Malago (left) with coach Roberto Mancini (right): @coppa_canottieri via Instagram.

These matches will be the first under Malagò’s presidency. He was officially elected as the President of the Italian FA, a few months following the resignation of Gravina after Italy’s defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the 2026 World Cup play-off final.

These games will also be the first since the return of Roberto Mancini in the position of CT. It will also be Claudio Ranieri’s first time in the Italy set-up as well, serving as technical director of the FIGC.

The new Italy leadership must start from scratch after a series of disappointments in World Cup qualifying over the last few years, but Malagò, speaking in an interview with La Politica nel Pallone on Rai, says that World Cup qualification is the bare minimum that Italy should be targeting.

CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, ITALY – MARCH 05: Giovanni Malago, President of the Organising Committee for the 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, speaks during the Paralympic Games Opening Press Conference ahead of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympic Games at on March 05, 2026 in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. (Photo by Mattia Ozbot/Getty Images)

“We haven’t played a knock-out match at a World Cup since we played the final against France in 2006. Italy shouldn’t limit itself to qualification. We need to look ahead and to do this, we need to build a pathway for youngsters,” said Malagò (via Gianluca Di Marzio).

Among the players that could be included in Mancini’s Italy squad for the September-October international break is Cagliari midfielder Romano, who has represented Switzerland and youth international level, but has recently switched allegiances to Italy.

“Romano chose Italy because of the work done by Claudio Ranieri and Roberto Mancini,” said Malagò. “But he’s not the only one. There are several other lads who have the choice as to whether to represent their mother or father’s nation. We’re working on that.

PARMA, ITALY – AUGUST 22: Alessandro Romano of Cagliari Calcio celebrates after scoring his team’s first goal during the Serie A match between Parma Calcio and Cagliari Calcio at Stadio Ennio Tardini on August 22, 2026 in Parma, Italy. (Photo by Luca Amedeo Bizzarri/Getty Images)

“We need to create a good team and restore confidence among supporters after everything that’s happened. I know that it’s all linked to thousands of different variables, but we can’t put ourselves in a position where one single game can lead to a new, bitter controversy.”

Malagò went on to hint that he thinks it is the right thing to do for the President of the Italian FA to step down in the event that the national team fails to qualify for the World Cup.

“There’s an unwritten rule for FA Presidents, I don’t know if it’s an obligation, but if you fail to reach the minimum goal, which for us is participation in the World Cup, it’s right for my predecessors to do what they did.”