The Italy Under-16 team’s season will get underway in Coverciano, with the Azzurrini set to begin with a double-header against England on Tuesday 25 August (18:30 CEST, live on Vivo Azzurro TV) and Thursday 27 August (11:00 CEST), on Pitch 2, named after Enzo Bearzot, at the Federal Technical Centre.

New head coach Giovanni Costantino has called up 22 players for the occasion, all born in 2011. The squad includes two players based in the UK: defender Rubens Nebatumbu, who plays for Leicester, and forward Lorenzo Sassetti, who plays for Dundee United. The Azzurrini will report for duty at the CTF on Sunday 23 August.

HEAD-TO-HEAD. Italy and England have met 13 times at Under-16 level, with the record favouring the English: seven wins to Italy’s five, with one draw (Italy 1-1 England, August 24, 2023). The most recent double-header took place just over a year ago in Rome, when Manuel Pasqual was in charge of the Azzurrini. Pasqual is now head coach of the Under-17s, who won the European Championship in Estonia last June under Daniele Franceschini, now the Under-18 head coach, with the team currently competing at the Mediterranean Games in Taranto. At the Tre Fontane, Italy won the first match 2-1 on August 26, 2025, before England won the second by the same scoreline two days later, on August 28, 2025, at the ‘Giulio Onesti’ Olympic Preparation Centre in Acqua Acetosa.

MEDIA ACCREDITATION. For the Under-16 team’s two friendly matches against England, taking place on Tuesday 25 August (18:30 CEST) and Thursday 27 August (11:00 CEST) on Pitch 2, named after Enzo Bearzot, at the Federal Technical Centre in Coverciano, access will be permitted exclusively upon request for accreditation, with approval at the Federation’s discretion.

Requests must be submitted no later than 16:00 on Monday, August 24. Media representatives (journalists, photographers and TV crews) should send their requests to a.paoli@figc.it, while all other requests should be sent to giordana.messina@figc.it.

SQUAD LIST

Goalkeepers: Lorenzo Minicucci (Fiorentina), Samuele Spanò (Inter);
Defenders: Lorenzo Allara (Juventus), Giulio Cacucciolo (Torino), Niccolò Chieffallo (Roma), Mirko Danza (Atalanta), Saverio Mesecorto (Sassuolo), Rubens Nebatumbu (Leicester), Fabrizio Pasotti (Cremonese), Bruno Savarese (Roma);
Midfielders: Francesco Buondonno (Napoli), Sean Luis Ebagua (Venezia), Mattia Pica (Roma), Gabriel Tedesco (Inter), Davide Tilli (Genoa), Marco Vaccarella (Juventus), Christian Vigil Hidalgo (Milan), Lorenzo Vitali (Parma);
Forwards: Mark Chidozie Cordopatri (Parma), Enzo Diofebo (Roma), Leonardo Maria Lima Ramalho (Bologna), Lorenzo Sassetti (Dundee United).

Staff – Coach: Giovanni Costantino; Deputy Coordinator of the National Youth Teams: Daniele Zoratto; Technical Assistants: Enrico Battisti and Mirco Gasparetto; Goalkeeping Coach: Davide Quironi; Athletic Trainer: Francesco Cosentino; Match Analyst: Andrea Loiacono; Doctor: Antonio Pizzino; Physiotherapist: Mattia Mollo; Nutritionist: Filippo Maria Perricelli; Press Office: Alessandro Paoli; Secretary: Aldo Blessich.