Gattuso Drops Four from Italy Squad Ahead of Estonia Clash in World Cup Qualifier
ROME – Italy head coach Gennaro Gattuso has made the difficult decision to cut four players from his matchday squad ahead of Saturday’s World Cup qualifier against Estonia, with reports suggesting the exclusions will affect players from Napoli, Fiorentina, and Brighton & Hove Albion.
The Azzurri are set to face Estonia on Saturday evening in a critical Group I match, with the Italians currently sitting second in the standings on nine points after four matches. While a win would keep Italy in strong contention, they remain dependent on group leaders Norway to drop points if they are to secure an automatic berth at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Otherwise, a second-place finish would see them enter the play-offs.
Squad Trimming: Who Misses Out?
According to Italian outlet TuttoMercatoWeb (TMW), the quartet expected to be left out includes Napoli goalkeeper Alex Meret, Brighton centre-back Diego Coppola, and Fiorentina pair Hans Nicolussi Caviglia and Roberto Piccoli.
Meret, who has been a familiar name in recent Azzurri squads, has not featured for the national team since 2022. Despite consistent performances at club level, Gattuso appears to be favouring younger or more in-form options between the posts, with Gianluigi Donnarumma, Guglielmo Vicario, and Marco Carnesecchi forming the final goalkeeper trio for the Estonia fixture.
Coppola, 20, joined Brighton during the summer transfer window from Hellas Verona but has struggled to secure minutes in the Premier League, managing just 16 minutes of top-flight action so far. Although the defender has two senior Italy caps to his name, his lack of club minutes appears to have counted against him.
The Fiorentina duo, meanwhile, are newcomers to the national team setup. Midfielder Nicolussi Caviglia was initially named in Gattuso’s full 27-man roster, while forward Roberto Piccoli was a late addition, drafted in to replace the injured Mattia Zaccagni. However, both now seem set to watch the clash from the sidelines.
A Crucial Clash in Group I
Italy’s upcoming match against Estonia carries significant weight. The two sides previously met in Bergamo back in September, with the Azzurri coming out on top. Gattuso’s men will now aim to complete the double over Jürgen Henn’s side and maintain pressure on group leaders Norway.
Saturday’s fixture, set to take place at Rome’s Stadio Olimpico, will serve as both a test of Gattuso’s strategic depth and a chance for emerging talents to shine on the international stage.
Final Italy Squad vs. Estonia
Goalkeepers:
Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG)
Guglielmo Vicario (Tottenham)
Marco Carnesecchi (Atalanta)
Defenders:
Alessandro Bastoni (Inter)
Riccardo Calafiori (Bologna)
Andrea Cambiaso (Juventus)
Giovanni Di Lorenzo (Napoli)
Federico Dimarco (Inter)
Matteo Gabbia (Milan)
Gianluca Mancini (Roma)
Leonardo Spinazzola (Roma)
Destiny Udogie (Tottenham)
Midfielders:
Nicolò Barella (Inter)
Bryan Cristante (Roma)
Davide Frattesi (Inter)
Manuel Locatelli (Juventus)
Sandro Tonali (Newcastle)
Forwards:
Niccolò Cambiaghi (Empoli)
Sebastiano Esposito (Inter)
Moise Kean (Juventus)
Riccardo Orsolini (Bologna)
Giacomo Raspadori (Napoli)
Mateo Retegui (Genoa)
Looking Ahead
With automatic qualification hanging in the balance, every match counts for Italy. Gattuso’s decision to trim the squad reflects both tactical considerations and a desire to maintain competitive intensity within the group. Whether the streamlined squad will deliver results remains to be seen — but expectations will be high.
Italy vs. Estonia kicks off Saturday at 20:45 local time, with eyes across the continent watching to see if Gattuso’s reshuffled side can keep their World Cup hopes on track.
