New Jersey-born Giuseppe Rossi was included in Italy’s 23-player roster for this month’s World Cup qualifiers against Bulgaria and Monetenegro.
Rossi is among four uncapped players picked by coach Marcello Lippi to join his squad, alongside Udinese striker Simone Pepe and Napoli midfielders Christian Maggio and Fabiano Santacroce. There was no place, however, for veteran Juventus striker Alessandro Del Piero or Antonio Cassano of Sampdoria.
Those omissions are perhaps all the more surprising given the long injury list handicapping Lippi with defenders Marco Materazzi, Nicola Legrottaglie, Marco Cassetti, Fabio Grosso, midfielder Andrea Pirlo and strikers Vincenzo Iaquinta and Marco Borriello all on the sidelines.
It is in the forward positions that Lippi has sprung the biggest surprises with attacking midfielder Maggio and forwards Pepe and Rossi.
Rossi’s inclusion is perhaps less surprising given his great form with Villareal in Spain over the last year and his performance at the Summer Olympics for Italy.
Rossi, who was born in Clifton, scored 11 goals in 23 league matches for Villarreal last season.
The defending World Cup champs top Group 8 after winning their first two qualifiers against Cyprus and Georgia. Italy plays away to Bulgaria on Saturday and host Montenegro on Oct 15.