Italy could hand competitive debut to Inacio in September to fend off Brazil scouts

ByPeter Young

Thursday’s reports claim that 18-year-old forward Samuele Inacio could be handed a call-up to the senior Italy national team squad in September and that he could potentially be handed his competitive international debut in order to fend off interest from Brazil, who have sent scouts to watch the teenager over the last few days.

Italy facing competition from Brazil for Inacio international rights

Inacio is one of the brightest talents of the Italy youth ranks but is eligible to represent both Italy and Brazil at international level. He was born in Bergamo to an Italian mother and a Brazilian father, Pia, who had spells with Atalanta and Napoli among various other Italian sides during his playing career.

Inacio, who joined Borussia Dortmund from Atalanta as a teenager, was handed his first cap for the senior Italy national team back in June by interim head coach Silvio Baldini.

However, this was only a friendly against Luxembourg, which means that Inacio is still eligible to represent either Italy or Brazil in competitive international fixtures.

According to reports from Gianluca Di Marzio, scouts from the Brazil national team have recently been to observe Inacio in a pre-season friendly between Borussia Dortmund and Arsenal at The Emirates Cup in London.

LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 09: Samuele Inacio of Borussia Dortmund during the pre-season friendly match between Arsenal FC and Borussia Dortmund at Emirates Stadium on August 09, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

The Selecao are reportedly interested in capping Inacio in a competitive fixture in order to tie him down to the Brazil side for years to come.

Thursday’s report claims that Inacio’s ‘priority’ is still with Italy, and that the Azzurri are aiming to give the 18-year-old some minutes in a competitive fixture in the near future in order to fend off the interest from Brazil. Di Marzio’s report suggests that this could potentially happen as early as September.

Peter Young is a Senior Reporter with Football Italia.

He’s not Toto! He was born in Italy to an Italian mother, razzista.

I agree with PL – we have alot of catching up and the quicker we move to welcome these young Italians. The French have been recruiting like this for decades as have Spain. We are late to the party and we have to wake up if we want to have any chance of being competitive as we once were. I would use the Nations League to bring in alot of young Italians, I think Mancini will do this, as he did 6 years ago

Get out Brazil. The kid was born in italy. His dad is now an Italian citizen and married to an Italian… he’s Italian…

40% of the total players in the World Cup were not born in the country they represented. This is modern football Toto.

Make it happen Mancini! Considering his past in pursuing oriundi, i.e. Retegui, I think this will happen. Here’s hoping he taps into Baldini’s mindset into playing some of the kids. Btw, where is Retegui these days? Is he still part of the NT setup?

@PL what is the point of a NATIONAL team, if 80% of your squad is from another continent?, might as well scrap the entire concept of representation and identity then. I’ll take inacio because he is atleast half italian, unlike some ‘others’ who are not even Italian…..

Get him in the Italy squad next month, Mancio. Alongside 6 or 7 others – use the Nations league to bed in the future squad!

Get Tresoldi in there too.

What’s uncomfortable is your reading comprehension.

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