Italian manager Antonio Conte, who will be taking over Chelsea after Euro 2016, has named a 30-man provisional squad ahead of the tournament in France next month. Italy veteran Gianluigi Buffon has made it to the list, but another veteran, Andrea Pirlo, has missed the cut.
The squad will be cut down to 23 at the end of the month and the final list will be sent to UEFA latest by May 31.
Pirlo, 37, regarded as one of the greatest midfielders of his generation, is a former World Cup winner with the Azzurri in 2006. He left Juventus to play for Major League Soccer (MLS) side New York City FC last year. Pirlo's former Juventus teammate Sebastian Giovinco -- who also plays in the MLS for Toronto FC -- is absent as well from the 30-man squad.
The other notable absentees remain former Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli, who is currently on loan from Liverpool at AC Milan. Key midfielders Claudio Marchisio and Marco Verratti will also miss the tournament owing to injuries.
Manchester United fullback Matteo Darmian has made the cut, meanwhile, along with Southampton striker Graziano Pelle.
The Italy football team -- who have won the European Championship just once in 1968 -- have been drawn alongside Belgium, Sweden, and the Republic of Ireland in Group E of Euro 2016.
Euro 2016 squads: Italy
Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Federico Marchetti (Lazio), Salvatore Sirigu (Paris Saint Germain).
Defenders: Davide Astori (Fiorentina), Andrea Barzagli (Juventus), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Angelo Ogbonna (West Ham), Daniele Rugani (Juventus).
Wingers: Federico Bernardeschi (Fiorentina), Antonio Candreva (Lazio), Matteo Darmian (Manchester United), Mattia De Sciglio (Milan), Stephan El Shaarawy (Roma), Davide Zappacosta (Torino).
Midfielders: Marco Benassi (Torino), Giacomo Bonaventura (Milan), Daniele De Rossi (Roma), Alessandro Florenzi (Roma), Emanuele Giaccherini (Bologna), Jorginho (Napoli), Riccardo Montolivo (Milan), Thiago Motta (Paris Saint Germain), Marco Parolo (Lazio), Stefano Sturaro (Juventus).
Forwards: Eder (Inter), Ciro Immobile (Torino), Lorenzo Insigne (Napoli), Graziano Pelle (Southampton), Simone Zaza (Juventus).
