Italy Coach Gattuso Calls Up Liverpool's 18-Year-Old Leoni for World Cup Qualifiers

Italy's new head coach, Gennaro Gattuso, has named 18-year-old Liverpool centre-back Giovanni Leoni in his first senior national team squad ahead of crucial World Cup qualifiers against Estonia and Israel. Leoni, who recently transferred from Parma to Liverpool but has yet to debut for the Premier League champions, joins fellow debutants Inter Milan forward Francesco Pio Esposito and Bologna midfielder Giovanni Fabbian. Italy, struggling to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup, currently sits third in Group I with three points after two matches, trailing Norway and Israel. Gattuso's squad also features the return of Atalanta forward Gianluca Scamacca and Roma centre-back Gianluca Mancini, while forward Mateo Retegui and Newcastle midfielder Sandro Tonali were included despite recent transfers and injuries. The qualifiers are critical, with Italy needing to maximize points to keep World Cup hopes alive under Gattuso's leadership following the dismissal of former coach Luciano Spalletti. The team faces Estonia in Bergamo and Israel in Hungary in early September, aiming to improve their standing in the group.