Mattia Zaccagni has opened the new season as Lazio’s reference point, wearing the captain’s armband and producing the moments that have kept the Biancocelesti moving. Yet his return to influence in Rome has not brought an Italy recall from Roberto Mancini for the forthcoming internationals.
Lazio’s captain sets the early rhythm
Zaccagni’s contribution has been visible in each of Lazio’s early league chapters. He supplied the ball for Frattesi in the 2-1 win over Udinese, then created Cancellieri’s goal in the 2-2 draw against Milan.
Against Venezia, he took responsibility from the penalty spot to score the opener. It was his first successful Lazio penalty in almost a year, dating back to November 2025, while his assist against Udinese ended a longer wait: he had not registered one since February 2025.
- Assist for Frattesi in the 2-1 victory over Udinese.
- Assist for Cancellieri during the 2-2 draw with Milan.
- Penalty goal that broke the deadlock against Venezia.
- First penalty goal since November 2025 and first assist since February 2025.
Former Lazio players see a renewed Zaccagni
Stefano Fiore, who played for Lazio between 2001 and 2004, believes the winger has recovered the sharpness that had been missing last season. “He looks far brighter and more energetic than he did last year,” Fiore said. “He is back at his usual standard.”
Roberto Rambaudi, a Lazio player from 1994 to 1998, has also pointed to the continuity in Zaccagni’s performances. In his view, the arrivals of Taylor and Tavares have given the captain conditions in which he can show his strengths more regularly.
“His quality has never surprised me; what he is finding now is consistency,” Rambaudi said. “With Taylor and Tavares alongside him, he can express himself more easily. He is among Italy’s strongest players when facing an opponent one against one.”
Italy omission remains a point of debate
Despite that form, Zaccagni was left out of Mancini’s squad for Italy’s next fixtures. It is not the first time the Lazio captain has been overlooked by the national-team coach: he was also frequently absent from Mancini’s selections during 2022 and 2023.
On those earlier exclusions, Mancini insisted that every decision had a reason and warned against assumptions from outside the camp. He maintained that Italy remained open to every player, adding that recalled footballers had been given opportunities while omissions were based on valid considerations.
Rambaudi is less convinced by the latest decision. He said Zaccagni should rank ahead of players such as Giacomo Raspadori and Nicolò Cambiaghi, arguing that some members of the Azzurri group do not possess the quality required at that level.
- Rambaudi believes Zaccagni is good enough for the Italy squad.
- He considers the Lazio captain stronger than Raspadori and Cambiaghi in this context.
- Fiore expects Mancini to know Zaccagni’s qualities well after following him closely.
- Fiore suggested the coach may first want to assess other candidates during the early stages of his new cycle.
Fiore has not ruled out a return to the international side. “Mattia belongs at that level,” he said. “But Mancini knows him very well and may have chosen to look at others more closely first. He is beginning a new project and has different elements to consider.”
For Zaccagni, the response can only come through Lazio. Having already carried his club through the first turns of the campaign, he will hope that sustained authority on Sunday afternoons eventually earns him another chance to lead Italy too.
