After the friendlies against England in August (a 3-2 defeat and 5-0 win), Spain in September (two defeats: 3-2 and 4-1) and a second-place finish at the 'Val de Marne' tournament (which took place between 29 October and 2 November), a new challenge awaits the Under-16 National Team, who are set to face Portugal in a friendly double-header at the Estádio Municipal de Vendas Novas. The first game is scheduled for Tuesday 17 December (12:30 CET), while the second fixture will be played two days later (another 12:30 CET kick-off).

Head Coach Marco Scarpa has called up 22 players, all of whom were born in 2009, and they will gather in Milan on Sunday 15 December before heading to Portugal the next day.

SQUAD LIST

Goalkeepers: Tommaso Mazzi (Fiorentina), Mattia Sonzogni (Atalanta);
Defenders: Giampaolo Bonifazi (Roma), Jacopo Del Fabro (Juventus), Djibril Diallo (Parma), Karim Diop (Sampdoria), Edoardo Evangelista (Inter), Gabriele Mandirola (Genoa), Edoardo Dario Rocca (Inter), Edoardo Rocchetti (Juventus);
Midfielders: Mattia Angelicchio (Milan), Nana Jeffrey Baffoh (Sassuolo), Giovanni Francesco Baldini (Bologna), Edoardo Biondini (Empoli), Francesco Gasparello (Atalanta), Gioele Giammattei (Roma);
Forwards: Nicolò Amalfitano (Atalanta), Thomas Corigliano (Juventus), Marcello Fugazzola (Atalanta), Jacopo Landi (Empoli), Riccardo Paonessa (Juventus), Samuele Pisati (Milan).

Staff – Head Coach: Marco Scarpa; National Youth Team Coordinator: Maurizio Viscidi; Assistant Coach: Matteo Barella; Goalkeeping Coach: Cristiano Lupatelli; Fitness Coach: Luca Coppari; Match Analyst: Gianluca Turi; Doctors: Valerio Andreozzi and Giuseppe Bastone; Nutritionist: Dennis Dell'Unto; Physiotherapist: Luca De Marchi; Secretary: Fabio Ferappi.