Mancini opens the door for Nicolò Tresoldi to choose Italy

Roberto Mancini has confirmed that he spoke with Nicolò Tresoldi about his international future: the Club Brugge striker has not yet decided whether to represent Italy or Germany at senior level. Tresoldi has played for Germany’s youth teams and remains a regular with the Under-21 side, but has not committed his senior international future.

Cagliari is Tresoldi’s birthplace; his father is Italian and his mother Italian-Argentinian, and he relocated to Germany with his family during his teens. His performances for Club Brugge have strengthened interest in his international choice. Mancini said that Claudio Ranieri, the Italian national team’s technical director, had also been in contact with the player. Italy is looking in particular to identify dual-nationality talent to broaden its future options; Mancini noted that other national teams are pursuing the same approach.

“I spoke to Tresoldi, and Ranieri has spoken to him too. He needs to feel that he wants to play for Italy,” the coach said. Speaking at Coverciano before the Nations League matches against France and Belgium, he stressed that the decision belonged to the player. “But given that he was born in Italy and his father is Italian, I think there could be a possibility. Ultimately, it is the player who has to make the decision. He knows that we believe he could be important for us.”

Mancini also defended the effort to identify players with more than one nationality. “We’re not the only ones doing it. All the national teams look at players with dual nationality. If they’re good, we try to bring them in,” he explained. He cited defender Matteo Palma, who had also considered several international options before becoming involved with Italy. Mancini also recalled that national-team coaches no longer have the advantage of calling up groups of players from Juventus, Milan and Inter.

Italy’s immediate focus is on its Nations League matches: France at San Siro on Thursday, November 12, followed by Belgium in Brussels on Sunday, November 15. But Mancini’s comments show that longer-term recruitment, including players such as Tresoldi, is also part of his plans. Italy has made its interest clear, and the conversations with Mancini and Ranieri reflect its desire to persuade him. The final choice between Italy and Germany belongs to the player.