Italy manager Gennaro Gattuso has suggested that Federico Chiesa didn’t show enough hunger to want to play for Italy, hence not picking him during the international break.
Chiesa has become a cult hero at Liverpool since arriving from Juventus last year, even though his time on the pitch has been hugely limited overall.
The winger has won the hearts of Reds supporters with his positive personality and team ethic, and his vital late goal at home to Bournemouth in the Premier League last month was a great moment.
Chiesa’s international career with Italy has stalled in recent years, however, and speaking to the media [via Sport Witness], manager Gattuso explained why he didn’t select him in his current squad:
“I know what I said to Chiesa, and Chiesa knows exactly what he said to me,” Gattuso said.
“We were keen to call him up, but I saw a guy who wasn’t 100% sure. And when someone comes and has to face matches and official competitions, I want players who are fired up, ready.”
“He told me, and made it clear to me, that he wasn’t up to it, because he had to improve certain things. That’s what we said.”
Time for Chiesa to kick on at Liverpool
These are interesting comments from Gattuso, and Chiesa has clearly been positive about how he feels currently, but either way, this is now a point where he needs to kick on his career.
This is a player who excelled for Italy en route to Euro 2020 glory back in 2021, with former player Alessandro Pierini saying of him:
“He’s world-class. He has all the ability and desire of a great player. If he improves then he’ll be even better than his father [Enrico]. I have loads of respect for Enrico and all he has done to help Federico come on as a player until now.”
Chiesa now needs to be a genuinely reliable squad player for Liverpool, consistently making an impact rather than simply being a cult figure, and Arne Slot will need him to contribute positively across all competitions.
At 27, he still has so much to offer, both to the Reds and Italy, and it would be great to see him back on the international scene in time for next summer’s World Cup, following a strong 2025/26 season for Liverpool.
