Daniel Maldini receives first Italy call-up for Nations League

Author: AFP

Daniel Maldini, the son of Italian football icon Paolo Maldini, received his first Italy call-up on Friday for Nations League games against Belgium and Israel.

Monza attacker Maldini will become the third generation of his family to represent Italy if he is picked to play by coach Luciano Spalletti, after father Paolo and grandfather Cesare.

The 22-year-old has been rewarded for impressive performances since being loaned in January and then sold this past summer to Monza by seven-time European champions Milan, whom Paolo and Cesare both captained.

One of Italy’s greatest ever footballers, Paolo Maldini played 126 times for his country between 1984 and 2009, an appearance record which was subsequently overtaken by Fabio Cannavaro and then Gianluigi Buffon.

Cesare Maldini had a more modest international career, playing 14 times for Italy in the 1960s.

Spalletti has picked three more new faces in the squad, Juventus goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio, Roma midfielder Niccolo Pisilli and Matteo Gabbia, who scored the winner for AC Milan in their recent derby against Inter. Pisilli gets a call-up with star Inter midfielder Nicolo Barella out of action with a thigh strain. Italy, who are top of Group A2 with a perfect six points, face Belgium in Rome on Thursday before hosting Israel in Udine on October 14.

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