Calò breaks silence on Italy snub: ‘If I keep this up, I’ll deserve a call-up’

ITALY - OCTOBER 29: Giacomo Calò of Frosinone Calcio waves to the crowd as he leaves the pitch during the Serie A match between Frosinone Calcio and US Lecce at Stadio Benito Stirpe on October 29, 2026 in Italy. (Photo by Giuseppe Bellini/Getty Images)

Giacomo Calò insists he’ll earn an Italy call-up if he keeps up his form for Frosinone, but he won’t add to the controversy over his omission from Roberto Mancini’s squad.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, via TuttoMercatoWeb, the midfielder spoke for the first time since being left out of the squad for this week’s Nations League games against France and Belgium. His agent, Vincenzo Pisacane, had already criticised Mancini and warned that the decision risked being “the death of meritocracy”, and the Italy coach responded on Monday.

“For now, Frosinone are my national team, and everything else comes later,” Calò said. “I don’t care much about the controversy, and I’d rather not fuel it. I know I’ll turn 30 in February and that carries weight. So far, the call-ups have always rewarded younger players.”

Calò on Italy snub and his late rise

Calò has been one of the stories of the season. He has spent most of his career in Serie B and Serie C, but he has five goals in his first top-flight campaign, and no player in the division has created more chances.

Mancini picked teenagers Riccardo Cassano and Simone Lontani for the first time, but Calò doesn’t think his age should count against him.

“No, on the contrary, who cares if I’m 30? If I keep this up, I think I’ll deserve it. I let the pitch do the talking. Your performances tell you what you can become. I’m ambitious and I’m aiming high.

“Who’d have expected me to score five goals in Serie A and then be linked with the national team? Sometimes it still feels like I’m dreaming. In recent years I’ve always played between Serie B and Serie C, and I was a bit afraid of getting stuck in the lower leagues. I got out of there thanks to a positive environment like the one at Frosinone.

“I also think there’s been a bit of a lack of meritocracy towards me over the years. Today I’m a different player: more mature and ready.”