Nations League official line-ups: Belgium vs. Italy
ROME, ITALY - SEPTEMBER 25:Pio Esposito of Italy compete for the ball with Nathan Ngoy during the UEFA Nations League 2026/27 group phase match between Italy and Belgium at Stadio Olimpico on September 25, 2026 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Marco Rosi/Getty Images)
Italy bring Luca Koleosho and Niccolò Pisilli into a trident with Pio Esposito, as they battle for the Nations League quarter-final spot against Kevin De Bruyne and Charles De Ketelaere’s Belgium.
It kicks off at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels at 19.45 GMT (20.45 CET).
You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens on the Liveblog.
The Azzurri started this Roberto Mancini era on September 25 with a 2-0 home defeat to Belgium, but have gone from strength to strength with victories over Turkiye, a 1-1 draw in Paris, and Thursday’s remarkable 3-1 comeback win over France at San Siro.
Pio Esposito scored twice in that game and leads the attack again here, but his brother Sebastiano has been left behind, while Davide Frattesi and Nicolò Cambiaghi have both pulled out through injury.
They were expected to bring Inter’s Federico Dimarco in with a more advanced role than usual, as part of the trident attack instead of as a left-back, with Napoli winger Vergara on the right.
Instead, Koleosho and Pisilli are brought in for the attack with Pio Esposito.
Nicolò Fagioli is brought into midfield to replace injured Frattesi, while the rest of the team stays intact from Thursday.
A point would suffice for Italy to qualify for the quarter-finals, but a win would secure top spot ahead of France thanks to the superior head-to-head record.
Belgium are in third place because of their two narrow defeats to France, but sit only one point behind their rivals.
Former Napoli striker Romelu Lukaku missed the 2-1 comeback win over Turkiye and is therefore only on the bench today, so Atalanta striker De Ketelaere again leads the line as a False 9.
Milan winger Diego Moreira is in the trident attack with Jeremy Doku, while Napoli midfielder De Bruyne connects the midfield.
The big doubt for coach Mark van Bommel was between Joaquin Seys and Maxim De Cuyper at left-back.
Belgium: Lammens; Castagne, Ngoy, Mechele, De Cuyper; Lavia, Tielemans, De Bruyne; Moreira, De Ketelaere, Doku
Italy: Donnarumma, Kayode, Scalvini, Bastoni, Calafiori; Barella, Tonali, Fagioli; Pisilli, Pio Esposito, Koleosho
Ref: Eskas (NOR)
BEL
Positions
ITA
3
0
2
Last matches
| 12-11-2026 |
 |
W | |||
| 05-10-2026 |
 |
L | |||
| 02-10-2026 | W | ||||
| 28-09-2026 | L | ||||
| 25-09-2026 | W |
3
1
1
Last matches
| W | 12-11-2026 | ||||
| W | 05-10-2026 | ||||
| D | 02-10-2026 | ||||
| W | 28-09-2026 | ||||
| L | 25-09-2026 |
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