Italy Names Young Squad for Gattuso's World Cup Qualifier Debut vs Estonia

Gennaro Gattuso has begun his tenure as the Italy national team coach, with his first match in charge set for September 5th against Estonia in a crucial World Cup qualifier. He has made bold decisions by including three debutants—Giovanni Leoni, Francesco Pio Esposito, and Giovanni Fabbian—while notable absences include Federico Chiesa, who was left out of the squad. Captain Gianluigi Donnarumma recently completed a transfer to Manchester City, expressing pride in joining the Premier League champions and reflecting positively on his past experiences with PSG and the Italian national team. Gattuso's initial training sessions saw limited player availability due to club commitments, with only 18 of the 28 called-up players participating and precautionary absences such as Gianluca Scamacca. The young players called up have expressed enthusiasm and humility, with Leoni highlighting the honor of being coached by champions and Fabbian balancing football with university studies, reflecting Gattuso's focus on rewarding emerging talent. These developments set the stage for Italy's upcoming qualifiers against Estonia and Israel, as Gattuso aims to bring success to the team ahead of the 2026 World Cup.