Why Michael Kayode Missed Italy's Senior World Cup Play-off Squad

Concerns arose when Michael Kayode, the promising right-back from Brentford, was conspicuously absent from Italy's senior national team squad for the crucial 2026 World Cup play-offs. This omission was particularly noteworthy as the Premier League player was later called up to the U21 team, even starting in their European Championship qualifier against Sweden. The situation has prompted questions regarding the young defender's national team eligibility.

Why is Kayode playing with Italy’s U21s and not with the senior side?

Kayode has been enjoying a stellar season, both personally and collectively, with Brentford in the Premier League. His team currently sits in seventh place, making a strong push for a European spot, despite many pundits predicting their relegation at the beginning of the 2025-26 campaign.

Despite his impressive individual form, Kayode was not selected for Gennaro Gattuso’s 28-man Italy squad participating in the World Cup play-offs this week, nor was he initially named in the U21s squad. However, he subsequently received a late call-up to Silvio Baldini’s U21 side. He made an appearance as a half-time substitute in their dominant 4-0 victory over North Macedonia in the U21 European Championship qualification, and was subsequently named a starter for the qualifier against Sweden’s U21s.

Silvio Baldini, the head coach of the Italy U21s, recently confirmed that the delay in Kayode’s call-up was due to the necessity for him to undergo additional medical check-ups in Rome. Baldini hinted that these tests might have been related to his heart. He further elaborated on the "stricter regulations" in Italy compared to England, particularly concerning heart-related issues. He gave the example of Edoardo Bove, who is permitted to play for Watford in the EFL Championship but not in Italy's Serie A or Serie B.

“He was called up in September, but he didn’t have eligibility because there are much stricter regulations in Italy compared to England,” Baldini explained in a recent press conference. “He couldn’t play with us; otherwise, he always would have been there. And now he arrived late because he went to Rome to undergo some examinations on Monday, and yesterday he obtained eligibility. I don’t understand why we shouldn’t have called him up, given that he has also been a European U19 champion in the past.”

Kayode has since received medical clearance following his additional checks in Rome. However, the initial uncertainty regarding his eligibility might explain why Gattuso opted against giving him his first call-up to the senior side, especially considering the critical nature of the upcoming fixtures.