The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) explained the reason behind Federico Chiesa’s unexpected exclusion from the Italian squad for the 2026 World Cup playoffs.
Chiesa left the Italian national team’s training center in Coverciano on Monday to return to his club, meaning he will miss the playoff matches this week.
The FIGC justified coach Gennaro Gattuso’s decision in an official statement released Monday morning, which read: “Federico Chiesa, after an assessment of his physical condition upon his arrival at the Federal Technical Center, was deemed unavailable for the next two matches. In agreement with his club, he has left the national team training camp.”
It’s worth noting that the Liverpool winger hasn’t played for the Italian national team since Euro 2020 and had previously declined the opportunity to play under Gattuso. Chiesa, a Euro 2020 winner, has scored seven goals in 51 international appearances for Italy.
The Italian Football Federation confirmed the call-up of Bologna’s Nicolò Campiaghi to the Azzurri squad as a replacement for Chiesa.
Campiaghi has only one cap for Italy, but he boasts a strong record this season with Bologna, having scored four goals and provided six assists in 37 appearances. His playing time with the Rossoblu surpassed 2,000 minutes in the 2025-2026 season.
