Defender Andrea Cambiaso and midfielder Manuel Locatelli retain their places, but center-back Federico Gatti has been omitted.
Even former Bianconeri winger Federico Chiesa, who has scored twice for Liverpool this term despite only making Premier League substitute appearances, has still not been recalled to the Azzurri. He last sported an Italy jersey at Euro 2024.
Gone are the days when an elite club like Juventus would have players pepper the Italy squad, which is perhaps a reflection of how the Turin titans are faring under manager Igor Tudor.
Second-half substitute Cambiaso set up the penultimate goal for ex-Juve target Mateo Retegui in the 89th minute during Italy’s 5-0 hammering of Estonia inside Atalanta’s Stadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia last month.
Locatelli was handed under quarter-of-an-hour to strut his stuff against Estonia, while Gatti was left on the bench.
Locatelli’s brief appearance earned a starting berth against Israel three days after the Estonia success. His 16th-minute own goal kicked off the flurry of goals during Italy’s thrilling 5-4 triumph.
There were some surprise inclusions in Gattuso’s 27-player squad for the 2026 World Cup qualifying games, with a first call-up for Bologna’s left winger Nicolo Cambiaghi and Fiorentina’s attacking midfielder Hans Nicolussi Caviglia.
AC Milan defender Matteo Gabbia and AS Roma midfielder Bryan Cristante have been recalled for the first time this year.
Gattuso’s second set of international matches, since being installed as Italy manager, will see the Azzurri visit Tallinn for a showdown with Estonia on 11 October and three days later host Israel inside Udinese’s Stadio Friuli.
Italy lie joint second-placed with Israel, although the Azzurri do have a game in hand, behind Group I leaders Norway.
ITALY WORLD CUP QUALIFYING SQUAD
GOALKEEPERS
Marco Carnesecchi (Atalanta), Gianluigi Donnarumma (Manchester City), Alex Meret (Napoli), Guglielmo Vicario (Tottenham Hotspur).
DEFENDERS
Alessandro Bastoni (Inter Milan), Riccardo Calafiori (Arsenal), Andrea Cambiaso (Juventus), Diego Coppola (Brighton & Hove Albion), Giovanni Di Lorenzo (Napoli), Federico Dimarco (Inter Milan), Matteo Gabbia (AC Milan), Gianluca Mancini (AS Roma), Destiny Udogie (Tottenham Hotspur).
MIDFIELDERS
Nicolo Barella (Inter Milan), Bryan Cristante (AS Roma), Davide Frattesi (Inter Milan), Manuel Locatelli (Juventus), Hans Nicolussi Caviglia (Fiorentina), Sandro Tonali (Newcastle United).
STRIKERS
Nicolo Cambiaghi (Bologna), Francesco Pio Esposito (Inter Milan), Moise Kean (Fiorentina), Riccardo Orsolini (Bologna), Matteo Politano (Napoli), Giacomo Raspadori (Atletico Madrid), Mateo Retegui (Al-Qadsia), Mattia Zaccagni (Lazio).