Chiesa Dropped from Italy Squad for World Cup Qualifiers

Federico Chiesa, the Liverpool forward, has been dropped from the Italy national team due to injury, as confirmed by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) on Monday. Chiesa is not considered fit to play in the upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifying play-offs against Northern Ireland, which are crucial for Italy as they aim to avoid missing a third consecutive World Cup final.

The FIGC did not specify the nature of Chiesa's injury, which is part of a long list of setbacks that have hindered the career of one of Italy's brightest talents. Chiesa was a key player in Italy's Euro 2020 triumph but has been unable to contribute to the national team since their disappointing defense of the European title in 2024.

In his absence, Bologna's Nicolo Cambiaghi has been called up as a replacement. Additionally, Inter Milan defender Alessandro Bastoni and Atalanta striker Gianluca Scamacca are also working to recover from their respective injuries ahead of Thursday's match.