Roberto Mancini's New Era: Mohamed Ali Zoma's Potential Azzurri Call-Up

Roberto Mancini is back in charge of Italy, and he may be about to make his first big statement: handing a debut call-up to 1. FC Nürnberg winger Mohamed Ali Zoma.

Mancini’s new Italy, a long break – and a big decision

The first international break of the 2026-27 season will not be a routine one. Italy face an intense two-week Nations League block against Belgium, Turkiye, France and then Turkiye again, a stretched window that doubles as Mancini’s second debut in the Azzurri dugout after replacing Gennaro Gattuso in the summer.

He returns to a team still reeling from a disastrous calendar year. Italy missed out on the 2026 World Cup, and the squad now sits at a crossroads. Changes are coming. They have to.

This is where Zoma enters the picture.

Zoma, the late-blooming winger turning heads

At 22, Mohamed Ali Zoma has forced his way into the conversation the hard way. Born and raised in Merate, he came through at AlbinoLeffe, grinding his way up in Serie C before taking a risk last summer: a move abroad to 2. Bundesliga side Nürnberg in a €1.5m deal.

It has looked like a bargain ever since.

Last season, he exploded in Germany’s second tier with 19 goal involvements – 14 goals and five assists – in just 29 league appearances. This year, he has started even faster: five goals in his first five 2. Bundesliga matches of the 2026-27 campaign.

Clubs have noticed. According to Sky Sport DE’s Florian Plettenberg, there was concrete interest late in the summer window, but Nürnberg refused to cash in. The German club reportedly value him at around €20m and made it clear they wanted to keep him.

A tug of war in the making

Zoma’s form has not only alerted scouts. It has also sharpened the focus of national teams.

He remains eligible for three countries: Italy, where he was born and raised, and Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast through his parents. For Mancini, in an era where dual nationals can slip away overnight, this is exactly the type of profile Italy cannot afford to ignore.

The two have already spoken. Zoma confirmed as much to Sky: “It’s true, Roberto Mancini and I have spoken. He said that he is keeping an eye on me and that I should keep going like this, and then we’ll see.”

The message is clear. Keep scoring, keep creating, and the door to Coverciano opens.

Call-up getting “increasingly close”

In Italy, the noise is growing. Tuttosport describes a call-up as “increasingly close” for the Nürnberg winger, while TMW goes a step further and predicts he will be included in the next Azzurri squad for the September-October Nations League fixtures.

For Mancini, this break is not just about results against heavyweight opposition. It is about resetting an identity, refreshing a core, and securing talents who can shape the next cycle.

For Zoma, it could be the moment everything changes: from 2. Bundesliga revelation to Azzurri debutant, with three flags on the table and one decisive choice to make.