Acerbi refused the convocation for Norway-Italy by informing the CT Spalletti with a message. He had returned to blue one year after the last time. The Azzurri play the qualification at the 2026 World Cup
Francesco Acerbi will not be available to Luciano Spalletti for the qualifying challenges at the 2026 World Cup against Norway (above all) and Moldova. He refused the convocation that would bring him back to the blue one year after the last time. He did it by sending a message to the technical commissioner the day after the defeat of Inter in the Champions League final of Munich against PSG. A “no, thanks” that opens a case, as well as creating problems for the national team that an important slice of fate is played in Oslo in the group that leads to the world championship.
To clarify what happened was Spalletti: Acerbi did not respond to the convocation. He wrote it to me by message this morning. I phoned him and confirmed it to me. “The reasons are not to be sought in an injury or in the shock for the harsh defeat in the final act of the Champions League:“ No, he thought back to what happened around him. I had summoned him for what he showed in this period. It is true that at the bottom of the championship we all get with the breath pulled, making these calls was not easy but we must put together many of those things … “.
Acerbi had dressed the blue shirt last time in November 2023 against Ukraine. Then the case of the alleged racist references against Juan Jesus from which the Inter defender had come out clean after investigation of sports justice. The FIGC had not closed the door, but Spalletti had no longer included him among his choices and last spring he had responded caustic to those who asked him if it was not the case to call him back: “Do you know what year is Acerbi? In my opinion the various sticks, Calafiori, good morning and Lorenzo are important as well. That Acerbi is fantastic and is doing very well I agree but I believe in this group.
The performance in the second part of the season in the Nerazzurri jersey and the prospect of being able to deploy a marker already capable of stopping the center forward Norwegian Haaland, the bogeyman of a group in which he counts only to arrive first to not complicate his life once again on the world road, had changed things for the coach. Obviously, for Acerbi who has chosen to say no -the absolutely questionable way and timing -, in fact, effectively closing forever with the national team.
What will happen now? “For the moment we are not going to replace it. However, we still have to deepen everything with calm and serenity. It is clear that with someone like Acerbi I had spoken first, then there were messages and phone calls. I don’t want to think anything, I want to think about what I have to do. He this morning told me by message that he does not participate, I replied and then I talked to it by phone and go on. There are many worthy players”.
