Italy vs Belgium – News and Probable Lineups

As both teams restart under new management, Itália and Bélgica will begin their 2026-27 UEFA Nations League journey with a match on Friday night at the Stadio Olimpico.

This Group A1 opener will be the first of four fixtures for each side over the next two weeks, alongside França and Turquia.

Match overview

Following another unsuccessful qualifying campaign, former powerhouses Itália are embarking on a reconstruction as they missed the chance for a third consecutive World Cup, having fallen at the playoff stage.

They were comfortably outpaced by Noruega for the top spot in their group and, although the Azzurri managed to defeat Northern Irlanda in the semi-finals, they lost a sensational penalty shootout to Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Despite their Euro 2020 triumph, the four-time world champions have not competed in the global showcase since 2014, leading to the departure of Gennaro Gattuso as head coach.

After a brief interim period under youth coach Silvio Baldini, it was ultimately determined – particularly after Andrea Pirlo became unavailable – that Itália needed a reliable leader at the helm.

Roberto Mancini, who won the Euros before taking a job in Arábia Saudita, has returned to the dugout three years later to steer his nation towards the upcoming European Championships.

While Baldini fielded an inexperienced squad for two friendlies that ended with 1-0 victories over Luxemburgo and Grécia, Mancini is also looking to the future with his recent squad choices.

The 34-man roster includes several new players, and their first challenge will be to commence Group 1 by overcoming Bélgica.

While Itália advanced to the quarter-finals in 2025 after reaching the semi-finals two years prior, Bélgica have only made it to the Nations League’s final stage once before, securing fourth place in 2021.

This modest history includes one draw and two losses against the Azzurri, a team they will face again with a fresh coaching staff.

Despite guiding Bélgica to the World Cup quarter-finals, where they narrowly lost to eventual champions Espanha, Rudi Garcia has been dismissed from his role as head coach.

Taking over for the Red Devils is Mark van Bommel, formerly of PSV, Wolfsburg, and Antwerp, who faces a daunting schedule in the upcoming fortnight.

First on the agenda is a trip to Itália, a team that has beat Bélgica in four of their last five encounters, followed by two matches against rivals França, and a challenging home fixture against Turquia.

The generational transition is likely to continue, with various younger talents being integrated, yet veterans Kevin De Bruyne and all-time top scorer Romelu Lukaku remain in the fold.

Before their loss to Espanha, Belgium was on an 18-game unbeaten streak, providing Van Bommel with the potential tools to strive for top position in Group 1.

Team News

One of 10 players selected outside of Serie A, Mancini’s first squad for his second reign will be led by Gianluigi Donnarumma, who has amassed 83 caps at just 27 years of age.

The home side will be without Alessandro Bastoni (suspended) and Federico Dimarco, Bryan Cristante, and Juventus captain Manuel Locatelli (all injured).

Mateo Retegui has not made the squad, leaving Moise Kean and Gianluca Scamacca to compete with brothers Sebastiano and Pio Esposito for a starting position, as Mancini is expected to utilize a 4-3-3 formation.

Having debuted during the World Cup 2026 qualifiers, the latter has found the net five times in nine appearances and his strong performance for Inter de Milão could see him selected.

Among the newcomers, Cagliari midfielder Alessandro Romano opted for the Azzurri over Suíça, Michael Kayode has shown promise at Brentford, and Mohamed Ali Zoma has emerged from the 2. Bundesliga with Nurnberg.

Meanwhile, Bélgica’s rising stars include Paris Saint-Germain winger Mika Godts, who was the second-highest scorer in the Eredivisie last season, and Chelsea’s Romeo Lavia.

Potentially featuring on Friday are Premier League newcomers Malick Fofana and Matias Fernandez-Pardo, while Manchester United’s Youri Tielemans will captain the side.

Experience has dwindled for the Red Devils, with Axel Witsel retiring from international duty, and Mats Selz also stepping aside, while an injury-plagued Thibaut Courtois is taking time off.

With those two absent, Senne Lammens, Mike Penders, Maarten Vandevoordt, and Jari De Busser will vie for the goalkeeper position.

Andre Onana is sidelined due to a long-term injury sustained during the World Cup, alongside Leandro Trossard; Jeremy Doku, who only returned to action last week, is also not included.

Itália probable starting XI:

Donnarumma; Kayode, Mancini, Scalvini, Calafiori; Barella, Tonali, Frattesi; Inacio, P. Esposito, Raspadori

Bélgica probable starting XI:

Lammens; Castagne, De Winter, Theate, De Cuyper; Tielemans, Lavia; Lukebakio, De Bruyne, Godts; Lukaku

Both sides may struggle to find their rhythm in Rome, as adjusting to a new coach might require the entire international window.

While there is notable talent on show, the match could be a fragmented affair, with both teams likely to settle for a draw in their opener.