Officially: Alessandro Romano chooses Italy and turns down Switzerland

Alessandro Romano, the Cagliari midfielder, has officially settled his international future by deciding to represent the Italian national team after changing his sporting nationality with FIFA, thus closing the door on continuing his journey with the Swiss national team.

Romano, aged 20, is now eligible to wear the Italian national team shirt, having previously represented Switzerland at youth levels, and he had captained in several of his matches with the youth teams.

The player's decision comes after a strong start with Cagliari this season, having scored a goal in his first appearance in Serie A against Parma. He has also caught the attention of Italian coach Roberto Mancini, who has included him in his plans for the senior national team.

According to Italian and Swiss reports, Romano is a candidate to feature for Italy during the upcoming international break, with reports suggesting he could be called up to face Belgium on September 25, marking a new phase in his international career with the Azzurri.