Alpha Cisse Shines at Milan: Italy Call Delayed

Alpha Cisse is starting to feel at home in Turin. The 19-year-old Milan midfielder has scored just twice for the Rossoneri so far, and both goals have come in the same city, from almost the same patch of grass.

He opened his account against Torino, striking the first goal of Milan’s league campaign. Then came Juventus. Same stadium, same angle, same cool finish after stepping off the bench. Two appearances in Turin, two goals, and a growing sense that Milan have unearthed something serious.

Those moments have done more than just pad out a highlight reel. They sparked a conversation: is Cisse already ready for the Azzurri?

He has already dipped a toe in the international waters, with two appearances for Italy’s U21 side. The leap to the senior squad felt closer with every confident touch in Serie A. Whispers grew louder that Roberto Mancini might fast-track him into the next Italy camp, a symbolic nod toward a new cycle and a bolder selection policy.

Not yet.

According to MilanNews, Mancini is watching Cisse closely. Technical director Claudio Ranieri is tracking his progress as well, keen to see how the teenager handles the demands of top-flight football over a longer stretch. The interest is real, the file is open, the reports are being written.

But his time with the senior national team will not come during the upcoming UEFA Nations League fixtures. Instead, Cisse will return to the U21s for the international break, where Italy face Poland and Armenia. For now, his stage remains the one just below the spotlight.

It is hard to escape the feeling that this window could have been the moment. A first senior call-up would have carried weight beyond a simple name on a squad list. It would have signalled that Italy are ready to turn the page decisively, that the old formulas are no longer enough.

That statement has been postponed. The player continues to rise, the national team continues to hesitate, and the sense of a missed opportunity lingers.