Serie A e Nazionale: da Gattuso a Mangiapoco, la stagione che prepara il futuro

The calendar year 2025 in Italian football is drawing to a close with multiple focal points: Claudio Ranieri’s Roma is setting the pace in Serie A, Rino Gattuso’s Italy is preparing for the World Cup playoffs with few alternatives but high hopes for Federico Chiesa, and in Turin, Juventus is introducing a young goalkeeper living a dream called Serie A: Stefano Mangiapoco.

Roma Dominates 2025 in Serie A

With 73 points earned in 32 matches—23 wins, 4 draws, and 4 losses—Roma confirms itself as the most effective team in Serie A this calendar year. An average of 2.42 points per match under Ranieri leaves no doubt: the team led by the former Sampdoria and Leicester manager has dominated the first half of 2025 with 44 goals scored and 16 conceded. Inter, in second place, trails by 8 points, while Napoli, Milan, and Juventus round out the top positions with comparable performances.

Italy: Gattuso Counts on Chiesa for World Cup Playoffs

The coach of the Italian national team, Rino Gattuso, faces a complex challenge ahead of the 2026 World Cup qualification playoffs, scheduled for March 26 in a semifinal that will determine Italy’s path. With few alternatives among the called-up players, the final wildcard is Federico Chiesa, currently shining again at Liverpool after a difficult post-Juventus phase. Chiesa, a European Championship winner with Italy, was also named Liverpool’s Player of the Month for September, making him a key figure for the national team.

The road to the playoffs involves intensive scouting between Serie A and Italian players abroad. Gattuso and his staff have already decided which matches to attend until January to monitor the players. Additionally, the FIGC is organizing a training camp at Coverciano in February, a crucial preparation window for the decisive appointment.

Stefano Mangiapoco: From the Lower Leagues to Serie A with Juventus

In the Juventus landscape, the story of Stefano Mangiapoco stands out. Born in 2004 in Nembro, Bergamo, this young goalkeeper has risen from amateur leagues to Serie A in less than a year. Called up for the first time in Serie A against Udinese on October 29, Mangiapoco shares: «It was truly a great emotion... I always believed in it.» Having grown up in the youth teams of Ponte San Pietro, Pro Palazzolo, and Giana Erminio, he overcame a meniscus surgery but never gave up on his dream.

His goalkeeper career began at the oratory in Cornale and Pradalunga: «My grandmother gave me goalkeeper gloves, thinking they were just gloves to keep warm, but that gift turned out to be prophetic.» His bond with family and his homeland remains strong, with Monte Poieto and Città Alta in Bergamo as his beloved places. In Turin, he found a stimulating and competitive environment, with teammates like Dusan Vlahovic, Khephren Thuram, and Teun Koopmeiners leaving a strong impression.

The 2025-2026 Serie A season is thus enriched with stories of success and hope: Roma continues its triumphant march, Italy relies on Chiesa’s quality to reclaim the world stage, and a young talent like Mangiapoco symbolizes a generational change driven by tenacity and humble work. Serie A confirms itself as the beating heart not only of Italian football but also of its future rebirth.