ROME, Italy (AFP) — Italy Coach Roberto Mancini on Friday called up 34 players, nine for the first time, for the opening four games of his second stint in charge of the Azzurri.

Mancini succeeded Gennaro Gattuso, who resigned as Italy coach after their World Cup qualification play-off loss to Bosnia and Herzegovina in March.

The 61-year-old Mancini was previously Italy boss from 2018 until 2023, leading them to the Euro 2020 title.

He opens his reign with four Nations League Group A1 games in 11 days. After hosting Belgium in Rome on September 25, Italy face Turkey in Bursa three days later, France at the Stade de France on October 2, and host Turkey in Bologna on October 5.

The nine first-timers announced on Friday are goalkeeper Massimo Pessina of Bologna; defenders Daniele Ghilardi of Roma, Michael Kayode of Brentford, Eddy Kouadio of Monza; midfielders Alessandro Romano of Cagliari, and Issa Doumbia of Sporting Lisbon; forwards Sebastiano Esposito of Sassuolo, Antonio Vergara of Napoli and Mohamed Ali Zoma of Nuremberg.

Honest Ahanor of Crystal Palace and Samuele Inacio of Borussia Dortmund, the two teenage outfield players in the squad, have both been retained after their first call-ups for June friendlies against Luxembourg and Greece.

Nicolo Fagioli and Nicolo Zaniolo are recalled for the first time since October 2024. Midfielder Rolando Mandragora, who won his only cap in 2018, also returns.

SQUAD

Goalkeepers: Marco Carnesecchi (Atalanta), Gianluigi Donnarumma (Manchester City/ENG), Massimo Pessina (Bologna), Guglielmo Vicario (Juventus)

Defenders: Honest Ahanor (Crystal Palace/ENG), Alessandro Bastoni (Inter Milan), Riccardo Calafiori (Arsenal/ENG), Diego Coppola (Paris FC/FRA), Giovanni Di Lorenzo (Napoli), Federico Dimarco (Inter Milan), Daniele Ghilardi (Roma), Michael Kayode (Brentford/ENG), Eddy Kouadio (Monza), Gianluca Mancini (Roma), Giorgio Scalvini (Atalanta)

Midfielders: Nicolo Barella (Inter Milan), Bryan Cristante (Roma), Issa Doumbia (Sporting/POR), Nicolo Fagioli (Fiorentina), Davide Frattesi (Lazio), Rolando Mandragora (Torino), Alessandro Romano (Cagliari), Sandro Tonali (Tottenham/ENG)

Forwards: Nicolo Cambiaghi (Bologna), Francesco Pio Esposito (Inter), Sebastiano Esposito (Sassuolo), Samuele Inacio (Borussia Dortmund/GER), Moise Kean (Como), Daniel Maldini (Cagliari), Giacomo Raspadori (Atalanta), Gianluca Scamacca (Atalanta), Antonio Vergara (Napoli), Nicolo Zaniolo (Udinese), Mohamed Alì Zoma (Nuremberg/GER)