Italy has played a key role in the history of football, with the Azzurri winning the World Cup four times and, at one point, Serie A being the best league in the world.
The country breeds talent, and there are undoubtedly several young wonderkids to look out for on FM26. Here are our favourite Italian wonderkids:
Giovanni Leoni (Liverpool)
Unfortunately, in real life, the talented young centre-back is side-lined with an ACL injury that has hampered his progress.
However, before picking up the injury, Leoni was developing a reputation as one of the best young up-and-coming centre-backs in the world game, having played 17 times in Serie A for Parma, despite his tender years.
In FM26, his starting stats are decent for a player of just 18. His highest rating is 16 for determination, with many ratings around 13, including for passing, work rate, teamwork, and positioning, while he also has 14 in marking and heading.
Unsurprisingly, due to his potential, Leoni goes on to become a very good player, often staying with Liverpool for a decade. In general, Leoni is reluctant to leave the Reds in the first transfer window as he has only just joined. However, he is valued at between £20-30m if you want to try to sign him.
Francesco Camarda (Milan)
The forward has made quite an impression in youth football, becoming the youngest player ever to appear in Serie A when he made his Milan debut at 15 years and 260 days old.
He made 16 appearances for the Rossoneri in the Italian top-flight before making a loan move to Lecce for the 2025/26 season, where he scored his first Serie A goal. The fact that he has made regular appearances in Serie A at just 17 years old illustrates how highly regarded the striker is.
I believe Camarda wasn’t actually official on FM24, although he was added to the game using mods. On FM26, Camarda’s starting stats are strong. His highest stats are finishing and determination, both 15. Elsewhere, his off-the-ball and technique are 13.
In FM26, Camarda becomes a highly prolific forward over the next decade. In my saves, he has consistently scored 20+ goals per season. In one of my saves, I paid £100m plus add-ons to sign Camarda in 2034. I have only played the save for a season, but he has already hit the ground running, scoring ten goals in 15 league appearances.
Incredibly, despite his vast potential, Lecce has an option to buy the forward on a permanent deal at the end of his loan in 2026. It will be interesting to see if they exercise it or let him return to Milan, as they have done in my FM26 saves.
Francesco Pio Esposito (Inter)
The 20-year-old is slowly but surely making his mark at Inter, having only made his Serie A debut for the Nerazzurri in the 2025/26 season. He has scored some possibly vital goals and is starting to look like a viable attacking option for Cristian Chivu’s team.
On FM26, his starting stats are those of a player who is just about to explode onto the football scene. His top stat is 17 for aggression, but maybe more important stats are 15 for finishing, technique and off-the-ball.
Strangely, on some of my saves, he hasn’t really fulfilled his potential. However, on my favourite save, he has become a prolific goalscorer. This may be due to the way he has been developed.
Just be careful how he is developed, as if he isn’t developed properly, he may not become prolific in the future, which is a slight caveat for the forward.
If you want to take a gamble on signing Esposito in the first transfer window, he is available for a fee of around £30m, with a hefty percentage of a profit from the next sale too. He is worth the fee if he is developed correctly.
Giorgio Scalvini (Inter)
Scalvini has been one of my favourite wonderkids in recent FM editions, and FM26 is no different. The 21-year-old still has strong starting stats, with attributes of 16 for tackling, teamwork and work rate. The defender also has +14 in technique, positioning, marking, and heading, among other impressive stats.
Scalvini usually becomes a highly consistent performer and ends up at one of European football’s biggest, although he did end up at Liverpool in one of my saves, so that’s not always the case!
The Italian international can be highly expensive if you attempt to sign him in the first transfer window, costing around £70m plus add-ons. However, I have signed him for around £40m plus add-ons a couple of seasons in, which has proved relatively good value for money.
Niccolo Pisilli (Roma)
The midfield playmaker has been in and out of the Roma first team over the last few seasons, but is considered a player with great potential, having made 50 Serie A appearances for the Giallorossi.
Pisilli’s stats at the start of the game are promising and solid, but do not stand out. However, he does have 14+ in passing, technique, work rate, and first touch, amongst other promising stats.
The midfielder becomes a highly consistent, versatile option in the centre of the pitch. He develops into a player who can play as a defensive, central and attacking midfielder. For me, he has been best deployed as a deep-lying playmaker.
One attraction of Pisili is that the midfielder will cost around £20m in the opening transfer window. He will prove to be extremely valuable for money.
Who is your favourite Italian wonderkid on FM26?
