The Italian national football team has summoned 18-year-old Borussia Dortmund forward Samuele Inacio for senior international duty, marking a proud moment for the rising star. Inacio, who holds both Italian and Brazilian citizenship, received his call-up from interim coach Silvio Baldini for friendlies against Luxembourg and Greece, representing his first taste of senior football after an impressive breakthrough season in Germany.
Why This Matters
• Rising talent elevated: Italy has called up a young attacker who finished as top scorer at the 2025 UEFA European Under-17 Championship with 5 goals in 4 matches.
• Bundesliga breakthrough: Inacio has accumulated 32 appearances across all competitions for Dortmund this season, netting 11 goals and 2 assists—remarkable output for a player born in April 2008.
• Youth pathway activated: Baldini's selection includes three Dortmund-based Italians under 22, part of a broader strategy to develop young talent in top European leagues.
A Bergamo Product Goes German
Born in Bergamo to former Serie A midfielder João Batista Inacio—who played for Napoli, Torino, and Atalanta under the nickname "Pià"—Samuele came through Atalanta's renowned youth academy before Dortmund snapped him up in 2024. The German club immediately tied him to a contract running until June 2029, a sign of their conviction in his potential. His transition from Italian youth football to the Bundesliga's physical demands has been smoother than most: he debuted as a starter against Freiburg in the Bundesliga and scored his first senior goal shortly after.
Speaking to Vivo Azzurro, the Italian Football Federation's official channel, Inacio described the moment he saw his name on the senior squad list as "incredible." He added, "Every kid dreams of wearing this jersey. For me, it's a privilege. The first thought I had was: I made it. We're talking about the senior national team here."
His Bundesliga statistics tell the story of rapid adaptation. Across 7 league appearances totaling 383 minutes, the versatile attacker—who can play as a second striker, attacking midfielder, or winger—has already registered 1 goal and shown the pace and positional intelligence that made him a standout at youth level. Over all competitions this season, his tally stands at 11 goals and 2 assists in 32 matches, form that has landed him on the 100-name shortlist for the 2026 Golden Boy award.
The Dortmund Italian Connection
Inacio is not alone at the Coverciano training camp. Baldini also summoned two other young Dortmund players: Luca Reggiani and Filippo Mané. Reggiani, another 2008-born talent, has made 29 appearances for Dortmund's first team this season, scoring twice and assisting once. On March 14, he became the youngest Italian ever to score in the Bundesliga, finding the net against Augsburg. His Champions League debut came against Atalanta—his former club—in February.
Mané, 21, is the senior member of the trio and has blazed the trail for young Italians at the Westfalenstadion. His explosive, forward-thinking style from defense has earned him a regular spot in the squad rotation. The presence of all three players in Baldini's camp reflects both Dortmund's faith in Italian youth and the Italian Federation's strategy of developing talent in top European leagues.
Tournament Pedigree and Dreams of Glory
Inacio's résumé already includes a bronze medal from the 2025 FIFA Under-17 World Cup, where he scored 4 goals in 7 appearances, and the Golden Boot from the 2025 UEFA European Under-17 Championship—the first Italian to win that honor outright. Those 5 goals in 4 matches also earned him a spot in the tournament's Team of the Year.
When asked about his ultimate ambition, Inacio did not hesitate: "To wear this jersey at the highest level and win a World Cup. So many champions have passed through Coverciano. One day I want to take this shirt to the top." His words reflect the dreams of a young player eager to test himself on the biggest stage.
Baldini's Young Squad and Squad Adjustments
Silvio Baldini, who normally oversees the U21 side, has selected a predominantly young roster for the Luxembourg and Greece fixtures, drawing heavily from players he has worked with in youth setups. The interim coach made a late adjustment to his squad: Lorenzo Venturino left the camp due to unavailability, and Baldini promoted Tommaso Berti as a permanent replacement. Niccolò Fortini will remain with the group until June 2.
Training at Coverciano has proceeded smoothly, with Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma serving as captain and mentor to the newcomers. Inacio called Donnarumma "an idol for all of us" and noted that "it only took one training session to see the quality" in the squad. The young forward cited the Borussia Dortmund project as the catalyst for his move abroad, explaining, "I wanted to test myself with new challenges, and the club's plan intrigued me immediately."
The Bundesliga as a Development Ground
Italy's recent success in developing young talent at German clubs like Dortmund stands in contrast to many prospects who struggle in Serie A's loan system. Inacio, Reggiani, and Mané have all secured first-team minutes in one of Europe's top five leagues before turning 22, an outcome rarely seen in the Italian domestic game. Veterans like 32-year-old Vincenzo Grifo continue to thrive in the Bundesliga—he logged 7 goals and 1 assist in 27 league appearances for Freiburg this season—but the new wave of Italian talent in Germany is younger, faster, and more versatile.
Other promising Italians in the German system include Mohamed Alì Zoma at Nürnberg and defenders like Andrea Natali and Borussia Mönchengladbach's Fabio Chiarodia. The pipeline suggests that German clubs view Italian academies as reliable sources of technically sound players who adapt well to high-intensity football.
A Proud Moment
Inacio's journey from Bergamo to Dortmund to Coverciano represents the modern path for emerging talent: early identification, development at home, international transfer for competitive experience, and recognition at senior level. His call-up is a testament to the hard work and dedication of a young player who dreamed of wearing the Azzurri jersey. For Italian football fans, it's another reminder that exciting young talent continues to emerge from the country's academies.
