Giuseppe Bellini captures Giacomo Calò waving to fans as he exits the Frosinone‑Lecce Serie A clash at Stadio Benito Stirpe.
Roberto Mancini clarified why he omitted Frosinone midfielder Giacomo Calò from his newest Italy squad and rebuked the player’s agent for questioning his logic.
Mancini explains why he omitted Calò from Italy’s squad
Calò’s representative, Vincenzo Pisacane, highlighted that his client tops Serie A midfield scoring this season, and warned he hopes this ‘isn’t the death of meritocracy’ regarding national team selections.
“The players Mancini selected are all strong, yet none match Calò’s stats right now,” the agent told TMW.
“That’s why his inclusion would make sense. I trust yesterday’s snub isn’t the end of meritocracy and that Giacomo could return if he maintains form. Otherwise, it suggests no logic behind the call‑ups,” he added.
Mancini later addressed the issue during Monday’s press briefing at Coverciano.
He hinted Calò could still earn a future call, but said he wants to assess several younger talents this time and refused to be swayed by agents. For my money, prioritising youth will strengthen Italy.
“We must explore alternatives and let emerging players gain experience,” Mancini said.
“Calò is performing well, and Frosinone boast three‑four quality players. We can’t rely on 29‑ or 30‑year‑olds now. When needed, we’ll call them, not because an agent demands it,” he explained.
Click here to read more from Mancini’s press conference.