Nicolo Tresoldi's International Dilemma: Italy or Germany?

Nicolo Tresoldi is in no rush to choose his flag.

Despite a flurry of reports in Italy claiming the Club Brugge striker had finally pledged his international future to the Azzurri, the reality is far more cautious. Several Italian outlets now agree: there is no commitment. Not yet.

A meeting, a pause, and a cooling of Italian expectations

At the FIGC headquarters, Tresoldi sat down with new Italy coach Roberto Mancini and technical director Claudio Ranieri. It could easily have been the moment Italy sealed a long‑term attacking option for their rebuild.

Instead, Tresoldi asked for time.

He requested not to be called up for the upcoming Nations League fixtures and made it clear he wants to finish the current cycle with Germany’s Under-21s before making any definitive choice. That stance has forced the FIGC to halt, at least for now, the process of filing his association switch with FIFA, according to Gazzetta dello Sport and La Repubblica.

For Italy, it is a setback. For Tresoldi, it is a deliberate pause.

A striker in demand, a decision under the spotlight

The timing of his hesitation is no coincidence. Tresoldi’s form in Bruges has turned him from a promising youngster into a headline name.

He is scoring, he is influencing games, and he is doing it on big stages. On Tuesday, he struck again in the Champions League, finding the net in Club Brugge’s 3-2 defeat to Aston Villa. That goal took him to five in seven matches this season, a start that has only intensified interest from both clubs and national associations.

Transfer rumours surged at the end of August when Gazzetta reported that Tresoldi had chosen Italy. In Germany, Bild countered: the forward was still weighing his options. The current twist suggests the German version was closer to the truth.

Roots in three countries, a career shaped in Germany

Tresoldi’s story reads like a modern football map.

Born in Cagliari to an Italian father and Argentinian mother, he spent his early childhood in Italy before moving to Germany at 13. There, he grew through the system at Hannover 96, sharpening his game in a country that has long prided itself on producing disciplined, intelligent forwards.

In 2025, Club Brugge moved decisively, paying €7.5 million to bring him to Belgium. It proved an astute investment. His first season was outstanding, marked by the kind of penalty-area presence that instantly translates across leagues and languages.

His international path, though, has been firmly German so far. Since the Under-19s, Tresoldi has represented the DFB at youth level and has 12 goals in 24 appearances for the Under-21s. That record, combined with his club form, has pushed him into the senior conversation.

The one that got away from Nagelsmann – for now

Julian Nagelsmann saw it early.

During his spell as Germany coach, Tresoldi emerged as a genuine World Cup candidate. Nagelsmann later admitted the striker came close to a call-up, describing him as “really very close for a long time” and praising his “special instinct in the penalty area.” In the end, Tresoldi missed out, but Nagelsmann made one thing clear: his “time will come.”

That time may arrive under a different man.

Nagelsmann departed after Germany’s disastrous World Cup campaign in the USA, Canada and Mexico. Jürgen Klopp has since taken over, tasked with dragging the national team out of its slump and back into contention. He will name his first squad on 17 September. So far, he has stayed silent on Tresoldi.

The silence, though, only adds to the intrigue. A first senior call from Germany now would hit at the very moment Italy are trying to lure him back to his birthplace.

Italy rebuilding, Germany watching

Italy are hardly in a position to let a talent like Tresoldi drift away without a fight. Mancini has returned to the bench to oversee another rebuild after Italy once again failed to reach the World Cup finals. The Nations League offers him an early testing ground and a chance to reshape his attack.

Belgium on 25 September, France on 2 October, Turkey twice on 28 September and 5 October: it is a demanding run, and a mobile, instinctive striker like Tresoldi would fit neatly into that schedule. For now, though, Mancini must plan without him.

Germany, on the other hand, can point to continuity. Tresoldi knows their system, their players, their expectations. He has grown up in their academies and worn their shirt at every youth level that matters. The path to the senior side is clear, if Klopp wants to open the door.

A decision that will define a career

This is not a simple tug-of-war over a promising forward. Tresoldi’s choice will shape the next decade of his career.

Italy can offer a return to his birthplace and the chance to spearhead a new generation in a team desperate to restore its global stature. Germany can offer familiarity, a clear route from youth to senior football, and the pull of a nation still obsessed with rebuilding its reputation after a series of failures.

For now, Tresoldi has chosen the one option that keeps every door open: wait.

He will finish his run with the Germany Under-21s, continue to score for Club Brugge, and watch as Mancini and Klopp unveil their first squads of the new era. One of them, eventually, will make the call he cannot ignore.

The question is simple, and it will not go away: when Nicolo Tresoldi finally steps onto a major tournament stage, which anthem will he be singing?