Italy are three games into their 2026-27 Nations League campaign, but five outfield players from Roberto Mancini’s squad are still waiting for their first opportunities of the September-October international break.

The Mancini revolution is beginning to pick up momentum despite a disappointing start to his second spell as head coach of the Italy national team. The Azzurri were beaten 2-0 at home by Belgium at the start of the break, but have since bounced back with a 4-1 win away against Turkey and a 1-1 draw away against Zinedine Zidane’s France .

Mancini initially named a squad of 34 players for the September-October international break, which has since been reduced to 32 after Nicolo Zaniolo and Giacomo Raspadori withdrew through injury without being replaced. Federico Dimarco and Bryan Cristante also withdrew at the start of the camp, but were replaced by Matteo Ruggeri and Samuele Ricci respectively.

Of the 32 players currently available, 28 are outfielders, and of those 28 outfielders, only five are still waiting for their first opportunities this international break.

They are Roma defender Daniele Ghilardi, Monza loanee Eddy Kouadio, Como midfielder Ricci, Fiorentina midfielder Rolando Mandragora and Borussia Dortmund forward Samuele Inacio.

There has been concern from some sections of the Italy support regarding Inacio specifically. Despite the fact that he earned his first and only cap for the Azzurri under Silvio Baldini back in June, that appearance came in a friendly, which means that he is still technically able to represent his father’s nation of birth, Brazil, at senior international level.

The 18-year-old has been left out of the last three Italy matchday squads, but there is still a small chance that he gets a run-out when Italy take on Turkey in their final Nations League match of the international break on Monday.

Head coach Roberto Mancini was recently asked about his decision to omit Inacio from the last three matches.

From a tactical formation and squad depth perspective, "Five outfield players from Mancini’s 34-man Italy squad still waiting for first chances" carries substantial tournament implications for international seeding and domestic campaign momentum. Coaching staffs are heavily weighing high-pressing efficiency (PPDA), defensive transition pace, and fixture fatigue management.

Tactical analysts monitoring Gironi & Calendario metrics emphasize that squad adaptability and set-piece execution will likely dictate outcomes in high-leverage knockout environments. Real-time match telemetry and tracking data continue to inform managerial decision-making.

Editorial Fact-Check & Verification Note: This briefing was curated, corroborated, and synthesized by the Mondiali 2026 Italia Editorial Desk. Readers following "Five outfield players from Mancini’s 34-man Italy squad still waiting for first chances" are encouraged to review the full primary source coverage linked below for complete historical context, direct quotes, and official statements.