Italy Euro 2024 squad: Luciano Spalletti's full team (2024)

The Italy Euro 2024 squad will want to defend their European crown this summer, with their opening game coming on Saturday against Albania.

But if a week is a long time in politics, then Italy's Euro 2020 triumph in 2021 feels like an eternity ago. Since the post-COVID high of that against-the-odds win which electrified the country and sparked a festival of hom-beeping, flag-waving euphoria, the comedown has been savage leading into Euro 2024.

A second consecutive botched World Cup qualification campaign was an embarrassment for one of football's most decorated international sides. Then Roberto Mancini's decision to leave Italy for Saudi Arabia prompted outrage, and a nervy end to Euro 2024 qualification did nothing to assuage doubts that an upturn was imminent - all this, amid concerns over a chronic lack of young talent coming through.

Gone are bone-crunching Wembley heroes Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini. So, too, midfield schemer Marco Verratti and pint-sized winger Lorenzo Insigne, who bid farewell to their international careers in Europe by moving to Qatar and MLS respectively.

Rebuilding the Azzurri has been no easy task, neither for Mancini nor his successor, Luciano Spalletti. The coach who ended Napoli's 33-year Serie A title drought 12 months ago has had very little time to try, mind, having taken the job last August, two months into what was meant to be a relaxing sabbatical on a Tuscan vineyard.

Significant unanswered questions remain as Italy start their title defence - some of them, all too familiar. Who will provide the goals is less clear now than it was three years ago. Designated captain Ciro Immobile has turned 34 and is struggling for form and fitness, to the extent that he was dropped for March's friendlies, as was Atalanta's Gianluca Scamacca. Mateo Retegui, Genoa's Tiger King, bagged a brace in the first friendly against Venezuela and may have earned a starting spot ahead of Giacomo Raspadori.

Then there are tactical dilemmas. After years of exclusive 4-3-3 usage, Spalletti switched to a back three in March, declaring, "I want to try the 3-4-2-1 to make some players more comfortable." Better late than never. One thing is obvious: an Italy team that is lacking in superstars will need to perform as a unit if they are to achieve anything this summer-just as they did three years ago. Spalletti has a challenging gig, but this wily old manager knows his way around a tactics board and could prove to be more of a difference-maker than any of his players.

Despite the injuries, despite being lumped in the Group of Death – Spain, Croatia and Albania isn't ideal – and despite a tough qualification campaign that saw beaten finals of 2021 England nudge ahead into the automatic spot for the tournament, Italy are one of the favourites. Anything could happen if fixtures go their way – and knowing the Azzurri, they have a big-game performance in them when it comes to crunch. You don't often beat the Italians: you survive them.

Along with Italy, FourFourTwo will provide all of the latest information on every Euro 2024 squad and how to watch each game.

VIDEO: All You Need To Know About Euro 2024

Italy Euro 2024 squad

Italy Euro 2024 squad: The full 26-man team

• GK: Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain)
• GK: Guglielmo Vicario (Tottenham Hotspur)
• GK: Alex Meret (Napoli)
• DF: Giovanni Di Lorenzo (Napoli)
• DF: Federico Dimarco (Inter Milan)
• DF: Alessandro Buongiorno (Torino)
• DF: Gianluca Mancini (Roma)
• DF: Matteo Darmian (Inter Milan)
• DF: Riccardo Calafiori (Bologna)
• DF: Raoul Bellanova (Torino)
• DF: Alessandro Bastoni (Inter Milan)
• DF: Andrea Cambiaso (Juventus)
• DF: Federico Gatti (Juventus)
• MF: Nicolo Barella (Inter Milan)
• MF: Davide Frattesi (Inter Milan)
• MF: Jorginho (Arsenal)
• MF: Lorenzo Pellegrini (Roma)
• MF: Bryan Cristante (Roma)
• MF: Nicolo fa*gioli (Juventus)
• MF: Michael Folorunsho (Hellas Verona)
• FW: Mateo Retegui (Genoa)
• FW: Giacomo Raspadori (Napoli)
• FW: Federico Chiesa (Juventus)
• FW: Gianluca Scamacca (Atalanta)
• FW: Mattia Zaccagni (Lazio)
• FW: Stephan El Shaarawy (Roma)

Italy Euro 2024 predicted XI and formation

Line ups from qualifying and recent friendlies suggest that Italy will set up in a 3-4-3 formation, with plenty of attacking intent and defensive solidity. Jorginho and Barella will patrol the midfield, looking to keep a handle on games together.

Italy Euro 2024 squad numbers

Italy fixtures and results

June 4: Italy0-0Turkey, Stadio Renato Dall'Ara, Bologna, Italy
June 9: Italy 1-0Bosnia and Herzegovina, Stadio Carlo Castellani, Empoli, Italy

June 15: Italyv Albania, Westfalenstadion, Dortmund, Germany
June 20: Spain vItaly, Arena AufSchalke, Gelsenkirchen, Germany
June 24: Croatia vItaly, Red Bull Arena, Leipzig, Germany

Italy manager: Luciano Spalletti

Luciano Spalletti, the mastermind of Napoli's stunning Scudetto win, has always promoted an attacking style of football and won't stop now.

The 65-year-old has had less than a year to prepare for his first international tournament and only two friendlies in which he could experiment, following a nail-biting end to Italy's qualifying campaign.

Italy's star player

Nicolo Barella

Nicolo Barella, the all-action midfielder at the heart of Inter's stunning form over the last couple of seasons, is the closest thing Italy have to an outfield star.

There were hopes after Euro 2020 that Federico Chiesa would be the next Azzurri pin-up, but the winger has had a frustrating stint at Juventus - Barella, however, is in good nick.

Lesson from qualifying

The great reset is far from complete. Italy's Euro 2024 qualifying campaign was as nervy as their bid to reach the 2022 World Cup, only with a different outcome, as they snuck into second place behind England courtesy of a final-day draw against Ukraine.

Even then, the irate Ukrainians fumed at the non-award of what appeared a certain late penalty, which could have sent the Azzurri into the horror of the play-offs once more. Trialling a back three after that brought wins over Venezuela and Ecuador, but hardly convincing ones.

Strengths

Spalletti has shown again and again that he is an astute, flexible, intelligent manager who can get the best out of a team tactically and mentally. While it remains to be seen how this outfit will line up in their opening game, there is faith that they are in good hands.

Weaknesses

Scoring goals is still a big issue: nine of their 16 notched in qualifying came in two home matches against Malta and North Macedonia. Second-half drop-offs have also been troublesome, while if there is a change of style or setup, as is mooted, it will be untested at a competitive level by the time their tournament commences in Dortmund.

Most likely to...

Enjoy a decent night's sleep. Spalletti banned consoles from training camps ahead of the tournament, saying, "You come to the national team to win the European Championship, not to win in Call of Duty." Early beddy-byes, lads!

Least likely to...

Have a Golden Boot winner. During the last World Cup qualification cycle, no Italian scored more than twice. In this campaign, midfielder Davide Frattesi led the way with three goals. Unless someone - maybe Retegui - pulls out a hitherto unseen Toto Schillaci-esque hot streak from nowhere, Italy won't be spearheaded by a prolific forward.

What they hope will happen

Spalletti has been very clear that his objective is "to win, not to participate". Few expected Italy to go all the way three years ago, so there is cautious hope that, with the bookies pricing up six or seven nations as likelier victors this summer, they'll use the underdog card to their advantage and hit their straps at the perfect moment again.

What will happen

A new-look Azzumi side boasting an unfamiliar back three battle their way through a tough group, only to crash out in the quarter-finals amid a squad revolt led by grown men desperate to be reunited with their PlayStation 5s.