Vergara fights Esposito for an Italy start against France after wing-back stint

On Sunday 8 November Antonio Vergara was patrolling the right touchline at the Maradona, fighting Nuno Tavares and Noslin for the flank. On the evening of Thursday 12 November he could start for Italy against France at the Meazza, in the front three.

This is only the second step of a short international career. Vergara made his Italy debut in France on Friday 2 October 2026. After Thursday's game, Italy face Belgium and De Bruyne on 15 November.

The former Reggiana player is 23. He reaches the national team just as his club goes through the worst spell of the De Laurentiis era: 15 points from 11 games, tenth place and three matches without a win.

The role Napoli do not give him

Vergara is a wide forward. He is at his best when he can cut inside and shoot from just outside the box. Against Lazio, Allegri used him differently. The side had only three recognised defenders (Rrahmani, Marín and Beukema), with Di Lorenzo and Olivera both out.

So Vergara played as a wing-back, out of position, and he did not shirk it. The result is known. Napoli drew 1-1 with the league leaders, Lazio outshot them 12 to 5 in the first half, and the equaliser was an own goal by Pedraza.

That is the point that matters. A young player sacrificing himself is fine. A coach who has to move one of his few attacking talents to cover a flank is exposing a badly built squad. In the same summer that the striker Allegri asked for never arrived, the signings were Badiashile and Favasuli. On 8 November, Vergara was the one who paid for the gaps. The blame lies with the people who built the squad, not with the player who adapted.

That does not clear him of everything. Two days after the draw, Vergara was among the teammates who liked the ear photo Lang posted on Instagram. Many supporters read it as a provocation aimed at the Curva (the hardcore end behind the goal). A player who asks to be judged on the pitch should know that, in this climate, even a click carries weight.

The question that remains

It is a simple one. If Mancini rates him highly enough to compete for a start against France in his natural position, why can Napoli not give him that position?

The answer does not depend on him. It depends on how many players Allegri has available on Saturday 21 November, when Torino visit the Maradona at 20:45 CET (19:45 UK, 14:45 ET). Di Lorenzo will be missing, Lobotka is not due back until mid-December, and Napoli have not won since 28 October.