Inacio ‘only wanted Italy’ despite ‘many’ calls from Brazil, says father Pia

Samuele Inacio’s father Pia says that his son ‘only wanted Italy’ despite numerous attempts from Brazil to get him to switch his international allegiance, but has also urged for calm, warning that ‘this is just the first step’.

Pia: Inacio ‘only wanted Italy, Brazil contacted us many times’

Inacio, 18, earned his first cap for the senior Italy national team back in June, under the interim reign of Silvio Baldini, who took a squad made up almost entirely of players he knew from his U21 squad for a pair of friendlies against Luxembourg and Greece.

He has since earned what many feel to believe is his first ‘proper’ call-up to the Italy squad under head coach Roberto Mancini for Nations League fixtures against Belgium, Turkey and France in the September-October international break.

There have been some concerns, however, that Inacio has not featured in any of Mancini’s first three matchday squads this international break. This means that Inacio has not been capped in a competitive international fixture at senior level, and therefore remains eligible to represent his father’s birth nation, Brazil.

Read more: Why Italy have left Inacio out of all three matchday squads in September-October international break

Inacio has been included in the matchday squad for Italy’s final Nations League match of the international break at home against Turkey, though. That game kicks off at 19.45 BST and you can follow the action as it unfolds on the Football Italia Liveblog.

Inacio’s father Pia has weighed in on the issue in an interview with La Repubblica on Monday.

Pia was a former Serie A forward himself in the early 2000s after moving to Bergamo to represent Atalanta as a teenager. He would spend six years on the club’s books and would go on to raise his son, Inacio, in Northern Italy.

He says that Inacio has only ever wanted to play for Italy, where he was born and raised and where most of his family and friends live, even if Brazil have made several attempts to get him to switch national teams.

“We’ve taken a lot of pride from this moment, even if the family, including Samuele, knows that this is just the first step,” Pia told La Repubblica.

“He was born and raised in Bergamo, he’s never had any doubts. Brazil have contacted us many times, even before the U17 World Cup and then while he was in the U20s ahead of the Olympic qualifiers. But Samuele only wanted Italy.”

Pia went on to describe his son as a ‘classic no.10’, but says that he can also feature in a number of positions where Italy have been lacking in natural options over the last few years.

“He has a different level of talent and potential, the initial results we’ve seen speak for themselves. He’s the classic no.10, very creative. He likes to have the ball at his feet, beat his man, but he can also play as a second striker and as a winger if needed.

“He’s a very intelligent player from a tactical point of view and has the physical strength to do well in both phases.”

Pia also explained why Inacio left the Atalanta academy at such a young age to join Borussia Dortmund, which led to a long-term dispute between the two clubs.

“I’m very grateful to Atalanta and Italy for everything they’ve given me. Samuele has family and friends here, but he’s very happy in Germany. He’s part of a big club and feels part of the project. He wanted a different experience in life away from home. Atletico Madrid also sought after him.”

And lastly, when asked if his son might end up in Serie A one day, Pia said: “never say never, but for now, he’s focused on Dortmund.”