Italy’s 21-man squad list has been announced for the U20 World Cup in Argentina, which runs from 20 May to 11 June. Selection for Carmine Nunziata and his staff has not been easy given that the tournament takes place outside of usual FIFA windows, and at a very important point of the season in club football.

The discussion with Serie A and B clubs, which began a while ago precisely because of the timeframe of the tournament, made it possible to get the green light for certain pre-selected players from their clubs. This confirms that there is a strong belief in the development of young Italian talent through international experience with the National Youth Teams. A choice particularly appreciated by the FIGC.

At the same time, certain clubs have taken a different road because they felt that, at this crucial point of the season, they could not be deprived of certain players as they seek to achieve their own sporting aims.

Gnonto, Scalvini and Miretti are in the right age group for this tournament but are viewed entirely as players in the First and Under-21 team, as such they have not been selected. In addition to those three, a few players from last season’s U19 EUROS will also not travel to Argentina: Coppola and Terracciano (Verona), Fabbian (Reggina), Nasti (Cosenza), Fazzini (Empoli). Roma’s Volpato, unlike Faticanti and Pisilli who have been given the OK, will remain at his club as he is deemed a vital part of the Giallorossi’s final push both in Serie A and the Conference League. Cher Ndour will also remain at his club for decisive matches with Benfica B.

Italy’s group, Group D, is one of the toughest possible. The Azzurri will take on Brazil, who won the South American U20 Championship in Colombia in February, Nigeria (3rd in U20 AFCON) and the Dominican Republic. There is hope though. At the tournament in Chile in 1987, Italy were drawn into a group with Brazil and Nigeria (as well as Canada). After a 2-2 draw with Canada, they beat both Brazil (1-0) and Nigeria (2-0). The Azzurrini topped their group but were knocked out by hosts Chile in the quarters.

The tournament will take place in Argentina from 20 May until the final on 11 June. 24 teams will take part: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, England, Fiji, France, Gambia, Guatemala, Honduras, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Japan, Nigeria, New Zealand, Senegal, Slovakia, South Korea, Tunisia, Uruguay, USA and Uzbekistan. They have been drawn into six groups of four, which have been divided between four cities: Santiago del Estero (A), San Juan (B), La Plata (C and E) and Mendoza (D and F).

The Azzurrini will meet in Rome on Sunday before training on Monday morning. On Monday afternoon, they will take a flight from Rome Fiumicino Airport to Mendoza, where Italy will be based for the group stage. Italy’s first game is at 23:00 CEST (18:00 local time) on 21 May against Brazil. They then take on Nigeria on Wednesday 24 May at 20:00 CEST and the Dominican Republic on Saturday 27 May, also at 20:00 CEST.

21 players have been called up, all of whom were born in 2003 save for six of them. Udinese starlet Simone Pafundi (2006) is the youngest in the group but could be considered a “veteran” as he has already made his full international debut and played in Serie A. Inter striker and the third of three Azzurri brothers Francesco Pio Esposito and Genoa’s Luca Lipani were both born in 2005; the latter has taken part in a training camp held by Mancini and has played in Serie B for his club. The final three, born in 2004, are Roma duo Giacomo Faticanti and Niccolò Pisilli and Empoli defender Gabriele Guarino.

Carmine Nunziata didn’t hide his worries but believes that his team could spring some surprises: “Given the numerous absences, there are a lot of new faces in the group and a few underage players. We need to come together as a time in what little time remains to us. I won’t be easy either, given that we have a tough group. Brazil recently won the South American U20 Championship, while Nigeria came third inU20 AFCON and are a physical side. The Dominican Republic is the easiest game on paper but this is still a really hard group. But morale is high in the group and we want to do well. We’ll do our best to get a good result.”

Squad list

Goalkeepers: Sebastiano Desplanches (Trento); Jacopo Sassi (Giugliano Calcio), Gioele Zacchi (Sassuolo);

Defenders: Filippo Fiumanò (Aquila Montevarchi); Alessandro Fontanarosa (Inter), Daniele Ghilardi (Mantova), Samuel Giovane (Ascoli), Gabriele Guarino (Empoli), Riccardo Turicchia (Juventus), Mattia Zanotti (Inter);

Midfielders: Tommaso Baldanzi (Empoli), Cesare Casadei (Reading F.C.), Duccio Degli Innocenti (Empoli), Giacomo Faticanti (Roma), Luca Lipani (Genoa), Niccolò Pisilli (Roma), Matteo Prati (SPAL);

Forwards: Giuseppe Ambrosino Di Bruttopilo (Cittadella), Francesco Pio Esposito (Inter), Daniele Montevago (Sampdoria), Simone Pafundi (Udinese).

Staff – Head of the Delegation, Marcello Nicchi; Accompanying Director:  Gianfranco Serioli ; Assistant Head Coach, Emanuele Filippini; Fitness Coach, Vito Azzone; Goalkeeping Coach, Fabrizio Ferron; Match Analyst, Marco Mannucci; Observer, Claudio Coppi; Team Doctors, Carmelo Papotto and Lorenzo Ticca; Physiotherapists, Giuseppe Galli and Tommaso Cannata; Nutritionist, Alessio Colli; Secretary, Aldo Blessich; Press Office, Giuseppe Ingrati; Amministrazione, Francesco Casella; Club Italia, Matteo Galdelli; Logistics, Carlo Fanano.

Groups and venues

Group A. Argentina, Uzbekistan, Guatemala, New Zealand – Santiago del Estero;

Group B. USA, Ecuador, Fiji, Slovakia – San Juan;

Group C. Senegal, Japan, Israel, Colombia – La Plata;

Group D. ITALY, Brazil, Nigeria, Dominican Republic - Mendoza;

Group E. Uruguay, Iraq, England, Tunisia – La Plata;

Group F. France, Gambia, South Korea, Honduras - Mendoza.

Schedule Group D

Sunday 21 May

Nigeria vs Dominican Republic, 15:00 local, Mendoza

ITALY vs Brazil, 18:00 (23:00 CEST), Mendoza;

Wednesday 24 May

ITALY vs Nigeria, 15:00 (20:00 CEST)

Brazil vs Dominican Republic, 18:00 local

Saturday 27 May

Brazil vs Nigeria, 15:00 local

Dominican Republic vs ITALIA, 15:00 (20:00 CEST)