Defending champions Italy are gearing up for Euro 2024 after a whirlwind year where they managed to snatch the qualification from Ukraine. The Italy Euro 2024 squad is a mix of experienced veterans and untested young talents. While they may lack the world-class firepower they once had, the Azzurris still remain a power to be reckoned with. They boast one of the best managers of the tournament: Luciano Spalletti. Fresh off a historic title-winning season in Napoli, Spalletti would like to do the unthinkable again and lift the Euro 2024 trophy in Berlin.
Spalletti’s selection for the Italy squad for Euro 2024 has some interesting choices. Starting with some big calls, the manager has dropped some erstwhile big names like Ciro Immobile, Manuel Locatelli, and Marco Verratti.
Spalletti has chosen a defensive backline marshalled by the ever-reliable Inter duo Acerbi and Bastoni, with Gianluca Mancini and Giorgio Scalvini providing capable cover.
Meanwhile, Barella and Cristante are sure to start at the heart of midfield, while a resurgent Jorginho might pip Pellegrini in the starting XI. However, the Italian forward line is not the strongest on paper, with strikers Scamacca and Raspadori, or wingers Chiesa and the veteran El Shaarawy not known for their goal-scoring prowess.
Italy UEFA Euro 2024 Squad
This is a 30-man provisional squad, which will be reduced to 26 players in early June.
| Position | Name | Age | Club |
| Goalkeeper | Gianluigi Donnarumma | 25 | PSG |
| Alex Meret | 27 | Napoli | |
| Ivan Provedel | 30 | Lazio | |
| Guglielmo Vicario | 27 | Tottenham | |
| Defenders | Francesco Acerbi | 36 | Inter Milan |
| Alessandro Bastoni | 25 | Inter Milan | |
| Raoul Bellanova | 24 | Torino | |
| Alessandro Buongiorno | 24 | Torino | |
| Riccardo Calafiori | 21 | Bologna | |
| Andrea Cambiaso | 23 | Juventus | |
| Matteo Darmian | 34 | Inter Milan | |
| Giovanni Di Lorenzo | 30 | Napoli | |
| Federico Dimarco | 26 | Inter Milan | |
| Gianluca Mancini | 27 | Roma | |
| Giorgio Scalvini | 20 | Atalanta | |
| Midfielders | Nicolo Barella | 27 | Inter Milan |
| Bryan Cristante | 29 | Roma | |
| Nicolo Fagioli | 23 | Juventus | |
| Michael Folorunsho | 26 | Verona | |
| Davide Frattesi | 24 | Inter Milan | |
| Jorginho | 32 | Arsenal | |
| Lorenzo Pellegrini | 27 | Roma | |
| Samuele Ricci | 22 | Torino | |
| Forwards | Federico Chiesa | 26 | Juventus |
| Stephan El Shaarawy | 31 | Roma | |
| Riccardo Orsolini | 27 | Bologna | |
| Giacomo Raspadori | 24 | Napoli | |
| Mateo Retegui | 24 | Genoa | |
| Gianluca Scamacca | 25 | Atalanta | |
| Mattia Zaccagni | 28 | Lazio |
Italy Euro 2024 Key Players and Profiles
Star Players
Gianluigi Donnarumma
While it seems like Donnarumma replaced the legendary Buffon as Italy’s number-one decades ago, the PSG shot-stopper is still only 25 years of age.
The 61-capped goalkeeper, who was the hero in the Euro 2020 final victory against England, would again like to captain his nation to Euro 2024 victory with his magnificent shot-stopping and towering presence in goal.
Federico Chiesa
Despite a largely quiet 2023/24 season (only eight goals in Serie A), Chiesa has found form after March at the tail-end of the season. Forming a strong partnership with Dusan Vlahovic, the forward has reminded the fans why he was so well-regarded during his time in Fiorentina before the wrecking knee injury two years ago.
Chiesa, who at his best is an unstoppable force, would like to carry on his good form to the continental stage, and Spalletti would keep his fingers crossed.
Nicolo Barella
A midfield dynamo for Inter, the 27-year-old is the beating heart of Italy’s midfield who will be in charge of creating chances as well as breaking up the opponent’s play.
He won Serie A’s Best Midfielder award last season, and while his form has hit a bit of a snag this term, with reduced goal contributions despite a title-winning season, Barella would hope to be back at his best in the next months.
Italy Euro 2024 Young Talents
Giorgio Scalvini
20-year-old Giorgio Scalvini is pulling in the eyes of European giants like Manchester United and Juventus after a fantastic 2023/24 Serie A season where he has been ever-present for Atalanta’s defence.
His disciplined (only three yellow cards in this league season) style of defensive play is perfect for Spalletti’s high-flying tactical system, and he would hope to get an ample amount of time on the field in Euro 2024.
Riccardo Calafiori
One of the biggest gainers of Thiago Motta’s project, 22-year-old Riccardo Calafiori has taken the Serie A by storm after emerging as a standout performer for Bologna.
Joining from Swiss side FC Basel for a meagre amount of 4 million euros (in what can be termed the steal of the season), Calafiori has formed a strong partnership with both Sam Beukema and Jhon Lucumi in the centre of defence and emerged as a capable heir for Italy’s future backlines.
Samuele Ricci
Another player who has seen their stars rise after this season, 22-year-old Samuele Ricci has grown into a star in Torino’s midfield after manager Ivan Juric has put him in a more advanced role this season.
Ricci is known for his calm and composed play in the middle of the park, and may well play an important role should they progress deep into the tournament.
Italy Euro 2024 Team Strategy and Tactics
Italy fans were still reeling from the shock departure of Roberto Mancini, who took them to European supremacy in 2020 when Serie A winner Luciano Spalletti was selected as the national team manager. Since taking over, Spalletti has impressed Italian fans with his trademark free-flowing football in a 4-3-3 formation.
Continuing the Italian tradition of basing the team on a solid defensive shape, Spalletti has often opted for a 5-3-2 defensive formation when the ball is with the opponents (as was the case in the 3-1 defeat against England in October) but switched to a fluid 4-3-3 shape when on the ball. Di Lorenzo and Darmian are fantastic in their overlapping runs forward, which are a key part of Spalletti’s play.
Spaletti’s attractive and ‘fluid’ Italy Euro playing style has excited the fans, who would be hoping for a successful tournament. Fluid seems to be his game, as ahead of friendly matches against Venezuela and Ecuador in March, Spalletti said, “Tactics are fluid, liquid, it is no longer such a rigid form.”
Italy XI (4-3-3): Donnarumma, Darmian, Acerbi, Bastoni, Di Lorenzo, Barella, Cristante, Frattesi, Chiesa, Raspadori, Scamacca
Italy Euro Previous Performances
The last few years have been a rollercoaster ride for the Italy national team, with the high of the Euro 2020 victory followed by the crushing blow of missing the 2022 FIFA World Cup for the first time in 60 years.
After the Euro 2020 victory in the final match against England, Italy’s national team suffered a major loss in the form that led to the shame of missing out on the World Cup. Since then, amid a tussle between Mancini and the Italian board that later led to his departure, the national team has struggled to etch out victories even against weaker teams like Austria (2-0 defeat in friendly) and North Macedonia (1-1 draw in Euro qualifiers). They have also come up short against the ‘big’ teams, losing against Germany, England, and Spain in the last two years.
However, Spalletti’s reign has followed an uptick in form (despite the 3-1 loss against England), and Italy have more than enough to look forward to in the upcoming tournament.
Italy Euro 2024 Match Schedule and Fixtures
Italy have been placed in the so-called ‘group of death’ with Spain, Croatia, and Albania. Italy will kick off their UEFA Euro 2024 tournament against Albania on 15th June. They will follow that with two crunch games against Spain (20th June) and Croatia (24 June), concluding the group stage.
Italy Euro Historical Squads
Italian fans don’t need to look too back for their last taste of European victory, with the Azzuris winning the Euro championship in 2020 under the guidance of Roberto Mancini. Much like the Euro 2024 Italy squad, the team in 2020 was also a mixture of experienced veterans and up-and-coming stars.
The old guard of Bonucci and Chiellini marshalled the centre of defence with Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Emerson on each side, while the then-youngster Barella and Champions League winner Jorginho dominated the midfield, alongside long-term servant Marco Verratti. The frontline was led by the Golden Shoe winner Ciro Immobile, along with support from Fede Chiesa and and Lorenzo Insigne. However, the star of the show was goalkeeper Donnarumma, who fulfilled his role as the last line of defence quite capably, winning the Player of the Tournament award in the process.
