Doubts grow over Romano's Italy decision after first Serie A goal watched by Mancini
Quick summary
A young striker known as Romano scored his first Serie A goal with Italy coach Roberto Mancini watching from the stands, intensifying speculation about his international future.
Full article
Attributed to original sourceAlessandro Romano scored a stunning goal on his Serie A debut, giving Cagliari a 1-0 away win over Parma. Roberto Mancini watched from the stands, but it’s still unclear whether Romano will pick Italy over Switzerland, which he has already represented at the U20 level.
U21 Switzerland international Romano scored a fantastic goal on his Serie A debut on Saturday, giving his club Cagliari all three points in an away game at Parma.
Born in Winterthur, Switzerland, on June 17, 2006, the same day as Italy’s 1-1 draw against the USMNT in the World Cup, Romano has Italian parents and has dual Swiss-Italian citizenship.
Will Romano play for Italy or Switzerland? PARMA, ITALY – AUGUST 22: Alessandro Romano of Cagliari Calcio. celebrates after scoring his team’s first goal during the Serie A match between Parma Calcio and Cagliari Calcio at Stadio Ennio Tardini on August 22, 2026 in Parma, Italy. (Photo by Luca Amedeo Bizzarri/Getty Images) The central midfielder’s goal against Parma was watched from the stands by new Italy coach Mancini, who was at the Stadio Tardini for the first Serie A game of the 2026-27 season.
It is still unclear, however, whether Mancini will have a chance to coach Romano with the Italy national team.
Romano, in fact, has been representing Switzerland at the youth level, making his U20 debut in October 2025.
As reported by Gazzetta, Romano has recently confirmed that he “held talks” with FIGC representatives, but a decision on the country to represent at a senior level “is not a priority at the moment.”
ENSCHEDE, NETHERLANDS – JUNE 15: Head coach of Italy Roberto Mancini attends before the UEFA Nations League 2022/23 semifinal match between Spain and Italy at FC Twente Stadium on June 15, 2023 in Enschede, Netherlands. (Photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images) Romano joined Cagliari from Roma on an initial loan deal with an obligation to buy this summer.
He played the second half of the 2025-26 season at Spezia in Serie B. During that time, he recorded one assist in 19 appearances, but the club was relegated to Serie C.
Romano joined Roma in 2022 from Winterthur and made his only two senior appearances with the Giallorossi in January 2026, just days before signing for Spezia.
PARMA, ITALY – AUGUST 22: Alessandro Romano of Cagliari Calcio. celebrates after scoring his team’s first goal during the Serie A match between Parma Calcio and Cagliari Calcio at Stadio Ennio Tardini on August 22, 2026 in Parma, Italy. (Photo by Luca Amedeo Bizzarri/Getty Images) According to Gazzetta, Cagliari’s option to buy becomes mandatory if certain conditions are met through the 2026-27 campaign. It’s a transfer package worth circa €5m, but it can reach €6.5m with add-ons.
Alessandro Romano’s brother, Luca, 22, is also a footballer playing for SC Kriens in the Swiss second division. Their father, Umberto, was a professional footballer too.
Source attribution: this article content is based on the linked publisher feed/source. Chance adds independent soccer context, impact analysis, entity links, and related news.
What happened
The player, referred to as Romano, opened his Serie A account in a match attended by Italy national team head coach Roberto Mancini. The goal has reignited discussion about the forward's international allegiance, with doubts persisting over whether he will commit to Italy or pursue another option. Mancini's presence suggests the Azzurri staff are closely monitoring the player ahead of future selection decisions. The situation remains fluid, with Romano yet to publicly clarify his intentions regarding the national team.
Chance analysis
First Serie A goals always attract attention, but when the Italy manager is in the stands, the stakes rise considerably. Romano's breakthrough goal puts him firmly on Mancini's radar, and the lingering doubts about his international choice add a layer of intrigue. For Italy, securing a promising young forward would be a significant gain; for Romano, the decision could define the trajectory of his international career. Expect this story to develop further as the next international break approaches.
Romano's first Serie A goal and Mancini's presence could accelerate his path to senior international football if he commits to Italy.