Italy make history with shock national team call-up for SECOND DIVISION striker, 22, who has amazing goal record

ROBERTO MANCINI’s plans to overhaul the failing Italian national team appear to include calling up a German second division striker. Mancini’s team, although Euro 2020 champions, will face Belgium, France, and Turkey in this international break after missing out on three World Cups in a row. Mohamed Ali Zoma has been scoring goals for fun in Germany’s second tier Credit: Getty Roberto Mancini has to do something to turn around Italy’s fortunes Credit: Shutterstock Editorial To help solve the Azzurri’s woes, Mancini – who used to be a striker himself – has turned to Mohamed Ali Zoma of FC Nürnberg. Never before has a professional from the German second division made it into the Italian national team, but Zoma arrives with an impressive record of 19 goals in 34 second-division matches. Sign up for the Football newsletter Thank you! Italy are slightly lacking in firepower. Everton flop Moise Kean and Saudi Arabia-based Mateo Retegui serve as their usual centre forwards. A slight cry from the days of Christian Vieri and Alessandro Del Piero. However, the emergence of Inter Milan starlet Francesco Pio Esposito appears to be their next great hope. Zoma certainly represents a gamble for Mancini, but if he was ever going to take some, now would be the right time. The 22-year-old was born in Merate, Italy, but is of Burkinabé descent from his father while his mother is from the Ivory Coast. Zoma came through the academy of AlbinoLeffe in Italy’s third tier and ended up playing 114 games for the club. Most read in Sport BEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UK Zoma had meetings with the management of Burkina Faso, but has opted to play for Italy Credit: Getty In 2025, he made the move to Germany to play with Nurnberg in the Bundesliga 2. He has five goals in five games this season and the striker admitted back at the end of August that Mancini had been in contact. The Azzurri boss had to make a move with Burkina Faso also circling for his services, it has been reported. Zoma actually held a meeting with the Burkina Faso boss in Germany, but has ultimately decided to play for the country of his birth. Of course, the Italy management has hardly been stable. Italy tried to get Pep Guardiola to come in as their manager and when that failed, it seemed as though Andrea Pirlo was a lock to take the job. But after links to a Russian betting company arose, the deal was cancelled and they ended up turning to Mancini. The legendary Paolo Maldini resigned from his role as technical director just 16 days later as a result. Comment now