Alpha Cisse, the 19-year-old Milan phenom, just got passed over for Italy’s senior squad despite making some serious noise early this season. Forget generic call-ups, this kid has been legitimately impactful for the Rossoneri, and the Azzurri still aren’t giving him the shot.
The Kid’s Been Balling Out
Cisse has already been straight-up impressive for Milan. We’re talking a teenager, 19 years old, making a big splash, and the stats back it up. He’s bagged two crucial goals this campaign, and get this: both of them came in Turin! Seriously, think about that. He put the first one in the back of the net against Torino to open Milan’s season. Then, against Juventus, he found the net again, coming off the bench and scoring from a very similar position. That’s clutch, high-pressure stuff right there, in big games, against big rivals. You don’t just luck into two goals in Turin.
The Head-Scratching Snub
His stellar performances clearly got people talking, with strong suggestions that an Italian national team call-up was on the horizon. He’s already shown his stuff twice for the U21s, so the progression felt natural, like the next logical step. But nope, not for these upcoming UEFA Nations League fixtures. MilanNews reports that manager Roberto Mancini has his eyes on Cisse, and technical director Claudio Ranieri is also keen on monitoring him further. That’s great, but it’s not a call-up. Instead, Cisse is headed back to the U21s during the international break, where they’re set to face Poland and Armenia. It just feels like a missed opportunity for the senior squad right now, a chance to really integrate a budding star.
A Bitter Pill for the Azzurri
Look, a call-up to the Azzurri is definitely gonna happen for Cisse at some point. That much feels inevitable with his talent. But this specific time around? It could’ve, and arguably *should’ve*, happened. The source says a call-up now “would send a message that the Italy national team will make major changes and the same approach as earlier won’t cut it.” Instead, by passing on Cisse for the senior team, Italy chose to stick with whatever “earlier approach” they’ve got going on. And you know what? That decision “leaves a sour taste in the mouth.” It’s frustrating when you see a young talent clearly deserving of a shot, and the message just isn’t sent. He’ll be balling out for the U21s, no doubt. But for the senior team, they just let a chance to really shake things up slip through their fingers.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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