During the March international break, six players remained at Milanello who have previously been called up by their countries.
La Gazzetta dello Sport write how a near-desertion always happens during the break as the league comes to a halt and Milanello empties out. Those who leave obviously do so to represent their country, while coaches can only hope their internationals return home safe and sound.
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However, there are also those who stay, and certainly not by choice but by the decisions of others. Aside from the injured Rafael Leao (who is recovering in Portugal) and Matteo Gabbia, only six Rossoneri outfield players remain working with Allegri.
In alphabetical order: Fofana, Füllkrug, Gimenez, Loftus-Cheek, Nkunku and Ricci. Why haven’t they been called up by their coaches, and what are their prospects for the final two months of the season with Milan?
Youssouf Fofana
Fofana perhaps hit the nail on the head when, a few days ago, he vented a bit in an interview with L’Equipe. Competition in midfield is certainly fierce in France, and Youssouf hasn’t been seen for Les Bleus for a while.
His last international appearance was in mid-October 2024, in the Nations League. He’s been doing very well with Milan, and in his last three games he’s added an assist in the derby and a goal against Torino. Will that be enough for Deschamps? It doesn’t seem so at present.
Niclas Füllkrug
The German has already enjoyed his time with the national team – his first call-up at 29 years old, he was one of the few players to escape the disaster of Flick’s 2022 World Cup squad – but for now, he’s not on Nagelsmann’s radar. His last appearance for Germany in June last year, in the Nations League final.
He was sidelined during the first half of the season at West Ham, due to injury, and since January, things have been worse than expected at Milan: a broken toe has significantly limited him, and he’s failed to shine in recent matches. The German will still try to convince Milan, but a return seems more likely.
Santiago Gimenez
In his case, it was never a question of ‘if’ but rather ‘when’. Santiago’s call-up and starting spot for the Mexican national team are not in the slightest doubt. Everything revolved around the ankle problems that forced him to undergo surgery and miss four and a half months of the season.
In the most recent match, Santi returned to the field for a handful of minutes, obviously too little to be called up by coach Aguirre. A call-up for the World Cup (at home) is certain to arrive, and Milan will help him regain his fitness over the last two months.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek
Lack of consistency is the worst enemy for a player aiming for the national team, and Loftus-Cheek’s last two seasons have been a rollercoaster. Numerous physical issues, one after another, have prevented him from maintaining consistent performance and weekly training.
In such a context, it’s normal to pay the price, and it’s a shame given he has the qualities Allegri likes. RLC hasn’t been an England regular for several years: his only recent call-ups came during the September and October breaks (just one game, for a total of 21 minutes).
Christopher Nkunku
The same applies as for Loftus-Cheek: to convince the coaches, you have to play well and do so regularly. This isn’t happening for Christo. Deschamps called him up and played him in the two World Cup qualifying rounds in October and November (he scored a goal against Iceland), but not this time.
The coach’s decisions during this break aren’t ideal for him, being the last one before the World Cup. Nkunku’s path for the next two months is very clear: he must capitalise on chances that present themselves at club level and convince Deschamps (and the Milan management) to bank on him again.
Samuele Ricci
Ricci was included in a sort of preliminary list compiled by Gattuso before the World Cup play-offs. He was then removed, but Samuele is one of those with a clear path to the Azzurri. This year at Milan was his first season playing for a top-tier club, a sort of apprenticeship which nonetheless included 28 appearances (12 as a starter).
Since his debut in June 2022, Ricci has thus far made 11 appearances for the national team, the last of which came in the 4-1 defeat against Norway last November. His name is clearly in Gattuso’s mind, as he is in Allegri’s. However, the competition in midfield for club and country is fierce, so next season he must kick on.
