Italy national team manager Roberto Mancini has addressed the omission of Frosinone midfielder Giacomo Calò from his latest squad, while also firmly responding to criticism from the player’s agent.
Calò has been a standout performer for newly-promoted Frosinone, who have been one of the surprise packages of the 2026-27 Serie A season. The club currently sits in sixth place, above Juventus. Calò has contributed significantly to their success, scoring five goals and providing one assist in 11 Serie A appearances from central midfield.
Agent’s Criticism and Mancini’s Response
Following Calò’s exclusion, his agent, Vincenzo Pisacane, publicly criticised Mancini’s selection logic. Pisacane highlighted his client’s impressive statistics, noting that Calò is Italy’s leading goalscorer from central midfield in Serie A this season. He expressed hope that the omission was not ‘the death of meritocracy’ when it comes to national team call-ups, suggesting that Calò’s numbers warranted a place in the squad.
Mancini, speaking at a press conference at Coverciano, explained his decision. He stated that while Calò is performing well and is one of several good players at Frosinone, his current focus is on giving experience to younger players and exploring different solutions for the squad.
The Italy manager also made it clear that he would not be influenced by external pressure from agents. Mancini affirmed, “We can’t call players who are already 29 or 30 right now. When we need them, we’ll do it, but not because his agent tells us so.”
Mancini’s Rationale
Mancini indicated that a future call-up for Calò remains a possibility. However, for the current camp, his priority is to integrate and develop younger profiles within the national team setup. This strategy aims to build experience for a new generation of players, ensuring depth and future readiness for the Azzurri.
The manager’s comments underscore a clear policy of independent selection, prioritising long-term squad development over immediate individual statistics, especially when faced with agent-led campaigns.