Mancini's New Italy: Spotlight on Mohamed Ali Zoma
Roberto Mancini is back in charge of Italy, and he may be about to make his first big statement of the new era with a name few Azzurri fans knew a year ago: Mohamed Ali Zoma.
The 22-year-old 1. FC Nürnberg winger is rapidly moving from Bundesliga curiosity to full-blown Italy talking point, with reports in Italy and Germany aligning on one thing – a call-up for the Nations League games in September and October is very close.
A New Cycle, A New Italy
Italy’s upcoming break is no ordinary international window. Belgium, Turkiye, France and then Turkiye again. Four matches, stretched over two weeks. Four chances for Mancini to redraw the map after a brutal 2026 World Cup qualifying failure that left the Azzurri watching from home.
This is Mancini’s first squad since returning to replace Gennaro Gattuso in the summer. The expectation is clear: changes are coming. Some established names are under pressure, and the door is swinging open for younger, dual-national talents who need to be tied down before other federations move in.
That is where Zoma comes in.
From Merate to Nürnberg – and Onto Mancini’s Radar
Born and raised in Merate, Zoma is Italian by upbringing but eligible for Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast through his parents. That blend of options makes him exactly the type of player Italy can no longer afford to hesitate over.
He came through at AlbinoLeffe, where he featured for both the youth and senior sides in Serie C, quietly building a profile away from the bright lights of Serie A. Then, last summer, came the leap: a €1.5m move to Nürnberg in the 2. Bundesliga.
What followed was not a gentle adaptation period. It was an explosion.
Nineteen goal involvements in his debut league campaign – 14 goals and five assists in 29 appearances – turned him from a speculative signing into the centerpiece of Nürnberg’s attack. This season, he has started even faster: five goals in his first five league outings of 2026-27.
Numbers like that don’t stay under the radar for long.
A €20m Talent and a Tug of War
By the end of the summer window, interest in Zoma had hardened. Sky Sport DE’s Florian Plettenberg reported that clubs came knocking, but Nürnberg refused to cash in. The German side, now fully aware of what they have on their hands, are said to value him at around €20m.
For a player who left Italy from Serie C only a year ago, that is a remarkable rise. For Mancini, it is an opportunity.
Zoma has already confirmed to Sky that contact with the Italy coach has taken place. “It’s true, Roberto Mancini and I have spoken. He said that he is keeping an eye on me and that I should keep going like this, and then we’ll see.” No promises, no guarantees – but a clear signal that the Azzurri staff are watching him closely.
In Turin, Tuttosport describes an Italy call-up as “increasingly close.” TMW goes a step further, predicting that his name will be on the next squad list.
Locking Down the Future
The stakes are obvious. If Italy move slowly, Burkina Faso or Ivory Coast could make their own play. If Mancini acts now, he not only rewards form but also secures a dynamic, in-form winger for the long term.
An extended Nations League window, a new-old coach looking to reshape a wounded national team, and a 22-year-old winger in Germany scoring at a goal-a-game pace.
If Mancini wants to send a message that this Italy will not let talent slip away again, calling Mohamed Ali Zoma now would be exactly that.
