Alessandro Romano reiterates he ‘wanted to play for Italy with all my heart’ after switching allegiance from Switzerland, and sees a ‘very strong team going forward.’

The Cagliari midfielder returned to the starting XI for this evening’s 3-1 victory over Turkiye , having last started the 2-0 home defeat to Belgium.

It was followed by a 4-1 result on Turkish soil and the impressive 1-1 draw away to France , all vastly different performances between them.

“I don’t think we got the first game so badly wrong, obviously it wasn’t the result we wanted, but with so many new players, new coach, it was inevitable we’d need time to get to know each other,” Romano told Sky Sport Italia.

“The important thing is that we reacted well after that.”

Romano was one of the Italy players most criticised after that opening Nations League match against Belgium, but it was his debut for the Azzurri, so the pressure was perhaps excessive.

“I am fortunate to have a strong and supportive staff and teammates who helped me. The coach stood by my side over these days, told me to relax, and I think I managed it today,” he noted.

There was also extra pressure because he had represented Switzerland at Under-21 level, only to switch his allegiance to Italy for the senior squad.

From a tactical formation and squad depth perspective, "Романо: «Я выбрал Италию всем сердцем, вижу, как сильная команда идет вперед»" 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 "Романо: «Я выбрал Италию всем сердцем, вижу, как сильная команда идет вперед»" are encouraged to review the full primary source coverage linked below for complete historical context, direct quotes, and official statements.