Palma gets first Italy call after representing Germany at U18 level

FRANKFURT AM MAIN, GERMANY - OCTOBER 09: Matteo Palma of U17 Germany in action during the UEFA Under17 EURO Qualifier between Germany U17 and Andorra U17 at DFB-Campus on October 09, 2024 in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. (Photo by Christian Kaspar-Bartke/Getty Images for DFB)

Italy have called up Udinese and Germany Under-18 international defender Matteo Palma for the Nations League games with France and Belgium, as Roma’s Gianluca Mancini is out injured.

The Azzurri are set to complete their Nations League Group A fixtures against France at San Siro on Thursday November 11, then visit Belgium on Sunday November 15.

Coach Roberto Mancini had called up his squad for the games on Thursday evening, but has been forced into some changes due to fitness issues.

Mancini out for Italy, Palma in

Gianluca Mancini pulled out of the Roma side for this evening’s Serie A match against Sassuolo with a flexor problem in the right thigh, and it is enough to rule him out for international duty as well.

In his place, the Azzurri have given 18-year-old talent Palma his first senior Italy call, which also represents a change of nationality.

Palma was born in Berlin in March 2008, and represented Italy at the youngest level, switching to Germany for the Under-16, Under-17 and Under-18 teams.

He was in the Hertha Berlin youth academy before moving to the Udinese side in 2022.

The defender made six Serie A appearances this season, scoring one goal.