Koné Called Up by Zidane for France Nations League Squad

Roberto Mancini has named his Italy squad for four upcoming Nations League matches, with three AS Roma players included in the 34-man group. Gianluca Mancini, Bryan Cristante and Daniele Ghilardi have been selected for fixtures against Belgium (25 September), Turkey (28 September), France (2 October) and Turkey again (5 October). Mancini and Cristante are established members of the Italian national team, but for Ghilardi, a 2003-born defender, this represents his first call-up to the senior squad. The squad announcement marks the beginning of a new era under Mancini, who returns to the Italy job following the team's third consecutive World Cup qualification failure.

Roberto Mancini has named a 30-player Italy squad for the Nations League, including Roma defenders Daniele Ghilardi and Gianluca Mancini, midfielder Bryan Cristante, and nine players receiving their first national team call-up. Among the newcomers is Daniele Ghilardi, who earns his debut call after joining Roma from Torino. Cagliari forward Daniel Maldini also features in the squad despite being involved in a drink-driving incident in recent days. Ghilardi's inclusion marks recognition of Roma's defensive investments this summer, while Cristante continues as a regular fixture in Mancini's midfield plans. The three Roma players form part of an extended squad assembled to rebuild confidence after Italy's failure to qualify for the World Cup. Mancini has opted for a large group to manage what he faces: four matches in eleven days, a demanding schedule designed to restore enthusiasm and belief. The nine first-time international calls are: goalkeepers Massimo Pessina (Bologna); defenders Michael Kayode (Brentford), Eddy Kouadio (Monza), and Daniele Ghilardi (Roma); midfielders Issa Doumbia (Sporting CP) and Alessandro Romano (Cagliari); and forwards Sebastiano Esposito (Sassuolo), Antonio Vergara (Napoli), and Mohamed Alì Zoma (Nürnberg). Nicolò Fagioli and Nicolò Zaniolo return after absences since October 2024, while Rolando Mandragora is recalled for the first time since March 2021.

Rodrigo Mora, the 2007-born midfielder who arrived at Roma this summer from Porto, has outlined his ambitions at the club in an interview with Sky Sport Insider. Mora praised Paulo Dybala as a player of exceptional quality who needs no words to communicate on the pitch. "With Paulo, he's a player that doesn't need words: you look at him and you understand," Mora said. "Every time he touches the ball, you can expect something that few know how to do: that pass that others don't even see, that move that changes the match. Off the pitch he welcomed me brilliantly from day one—he's a very humble and available person, and I'm truly grateful for how he helped me settle in." Mora also recalled a conversation with former manager José Mourinho upon his arrival. "When I came, we spoke a bit," he explained. "He told me how much he loves this club, how much he likes Roma and how special the relationship with the city is. It wasn't a long conversation, but he's a great coach and a great person, and I'm truly grateful for the words he spent on me. He made me feel welcome." Mourinho had previously stated that Mora possessed all the qualities to win over Roma's supporters. On his long-term objectives, Mora was clear about his ambitions: "I want to win titles. It's the most important objective I have, the one that drives me every morning when I arrive to train. I want to win them with Roma, in this city, with these fans, and I want to do it as a protagonist, giving my contribution on the pitch."