17-year-old Cassano impresses in front of Italy head coach Mancini

BOLOGNA - OCTOBER 05: Roberto Mancini, Manager of Italy, looks on before the UEFA Nations League 2026/27 group phase match between Italy and Türkiye at Renato Dall'Ara Stadium on October 05, 2026 in Bologna. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Riccardo Cassano made the most of his opportunity to impress in front of Italy national team head coach Roberto Mancini on Sunday, scoring the winning goal in a 3-2 victory for Como’s Primavera side against their counterparts from Fiorentina in the presence of the CT. 

The 17-year-old Como talent was the most surprising inclusion of Mancini’s latest Italy squad, announced on Thursday, for November’s Nations League fixtures against France and Belgium. 

Cassano has never previously appeared in a competitive senior fixture at club level, but will have an opportunity to impress with the senior Italy national team squad at Coverciano next week. 

It has been confirmed by the FIGC that Cassano, along with 18-year-old Parma talent Simone Lontani will train with the senior squad for the first few days of the camp, before going off to play with the youth sides in order to gain realistic minutes this international break. 

Cassano had an opportunity to show what he has to offer ahead of the start of the international break (on Monday), as Mancini went in-person to watch him play in the Primavera match between Como and Fiorentina at Viola Park on Sunday. 

Fiorentina took an early two-goal lead, but Como turned the result on its head within 20 minutes in the second half, with Cassano scoring the winning goal for 3-2 from midfield.