Italy's national team is turning a painful page. After failing to secure a spot in the 2025 FIFA World Cup following a playoff defeat to Bosnia, the Azzurri enter the June international window not to prepare for the global showpiece, but to begin a long-term rebuild. Caretaker manager Silvio Baldini, in what is expected to be his only squad selection at the helm, has named a drastically youthful side for friendlies against Luxembourg and Greece.
The 23-man squad carries an astonishing average age of just 20 years and six months. Baldini, who has primarily worked with Italy's youth teams, has turned to the country's emerging talents, leaving seasoned veterans out. Only one outfield player born before 2004 has been called up: captain Gianluigi Donnarumma, the 81-cap stalwart who publicly confirmed his availability for this window.
Beyond Donnarumma, just four other players have ever received a senior call-up. Fiorentina defender Pietro Comuzzo, Cagliari midfielder Marco Palestra, Roma's Niccolò Pisilli, and Inter Milan striker Francesco Pio Esposito are the only others with Azzurri experience. The remaining 18 spots are filled with uncapped prospects drawn from Serie A, Serie B, and even foreign leagues.
The selection underscores Baldini’s trust in the next generation. The caretaker coach is no stranger to Italy’s youth pipeline — he previously managed the Under-21 side and knows these talents intimately. With the senior team in limbo, his brief appears to be launching a new cycle ahead of the Euro 2028 qualifying campaign, with a permanent successor expected to be named over the summer.
Among the newcomers, several names stand out. The squad features four players currently plying their trade in Germany, illustrating the expanding horizons of Italian footballers. Additionally, Luca Koleosho, a winger at Paris FC in France, brings a multicultural flavor to a unit that blends domestic league products with those exploring pathways abroad.
The upcoming friendlies offer a rare stage. On June 3, Italy faces Luxembourg in what will be a low-pressure yet symbolic outing. Four days later, Greece provides a sterner test. Both matches will be watched closely, not for immediate results, but for signs of chemistry and individual growth among a group that could form the backbone of the national side for the next decade.
The absence from the World Cup, which runs from June 11 to July 19, stings deeply. Italy’s failure to qualify for consecutive World Cups — they also missed the 2018 edition — has forced a reckoning within the Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio. This youthful injection is as much a necessity as it is a statement of intent: the old guard failed; now, the kids must lead.
Donnarumma’s role is crucial. As the only proven world-class player in the squad, the Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper will be tasked with mentoring defensive comrades who are barely adults. His experience in high-stakes environments — including European Championship glory in 2021 — provides a beacon for a team that will inevitably suffer growing pains.
Tactically, Baldini is expected to deploy a fluid system that emphasizes energy and pressing, hallmarks of Italy’s recent youth setups. The friendlies will also serve as an audition for the next permanent coach, who will watch from afar and note which prospects can handle the transition from age-group football to the senior international stage.
For Italian fans, the mix of hope and anxiety is palpable. The average age of 20.5 years is the lowest for any Italy squad in living memory. While it signals a commitment to renewal, it also reflects the depth of the crisis. The road to Euro 2028 begins in earnest this June, with a side that will likely look very different by the time qualifying starts.
The future coach — rumored candidates include Luciano Spalletti and others — will inherit a blank canvas. Baldini’s selections ensure that whoever takes over will have a clear inventory of the nation’s best young talent. The friendlies may be unofficial, but their long-term impact could be profound.
Based on reporting from L'Equipe.
