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Matteo Ruggeri moving from Atletico Madrid to Aston Villa is already paying off for the 24-year-old. The defender has been called to Italy’s senior squad for the current international break.

The Villa man, who arrived in the summer window, has represented Italy across all youth levels. He was chosen for a national squad in 2025, but didn’t get the chance to make his debut.

Now, he’s been called to replace the injured Federico Dimarco, with the Inter Milan player not able to recover in time for the internationals.

Why the timing is crucial for Ruggeri

Italy failed to qualify for the World Cup for the third time in a row. Subsequently, there’s been an acceptance that things need to change.

Roberto Mancini has returned. The 61-year-old won Euro 2020 with his country, so it will be considered there are few better. Since being in charge of Italy the first time, Mancini has managed Saudi Arabia and Al Sadd in Qatar.

That the Aston Villa player has been called for the first international break on Roberto Mancini’s return is crucial. Dimarco’s injury gives Ruggeri the opportunity to impress Italy’s manager right at the beginning of his reign.

Convince, and it’s highly likely he’ll be called up again.

Roberto Mancini’s first Italy squad as it stands

This international break is going to one marked by withdrawals. That shouldn’t be as true for Italy, given it’s Mancini’s first squad. Players will be reluctant to miss out and have someone else impress in their place.

Goalkeepers: Marco Carnesecchi (Atalanta), Gianluigi Donnarumma (Manchester City), Massimo Pessina (Bologna), Guglielmo Vicario (Juventus);

Defenders: Honest Ahanor (Crystal Palace), Alessandro Bastoni (Inter), Riccardo Calafiori (Arsenal), Diego Coppola (Paris FC), Giovanni Di Lorenzo (Napoli), Daniele Ghilardi (Roma), Michael Kayode (Brentford), Eddy Kouadio (Monza), Gianluca Mancini (Roma), Matteo Ruggeri (Aston Villa), Giorgio Scalvini (Atalanta);

Midfielders: Nicolò Barella (Inter), Issa Doumbia (Sporting CP), Nicolò Fagioli (Fiorentina), Davide Frattesi (Lazio), Rolando Mandragora (Torino), Samuele Ricci (Como), Alessandro Romano (Cagliari), Sandro Tonali (Tottenham);

Forwards: Nicolò Cambiaghi (Bologna), Francesco Pio Esposito (Inter), Sebastiano Esposito (Sassuolo), Samuele Inacio (Borussia Dortmund), Moise Kean (Como), Daniel Maldini (Cagliari), Giacomo Raspadori (Atalanta), Gianluca Scamacca (Atalanta), Antonio Vergara (Napoli), Nicolò Zaniolo (Udinese), Mohamed Alì Zoma (Nuremberg).

Italy are set to face Belgium, Turkey (twice) and France over the next couple of weeks. The Aston Villa player will hope he can make his debut.

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