One That Got Away: Roma Left Ruing Romano Exit as Cagliari Star Earns Italy Call Ahead of World Cup 2026

Alessandro Romano's rise has the feel of a story Roma supporters would rather not tell — and Cagliari fans cannot stop telling. As reported by Football Italia, the midfielder is set to earn his senior debut for the Italy national team, capping a remarkable spell that has transformed him from a discarded academy prospect into one of the most talked-about young players in Serie A. The irony is thick at Trigoria. Roma's youth system has long been a source of pride, producing first-team regulars and international-calibre talent, yet the club allowed Romano to depart without much of a fight. Cagliari pounced, and what looked like a modest punt on potential has become one of the shrewdest pieces of business in recent memory. Since arriving in Sardinia, Romano has done far more than simply find minutes. He has made himself indispensable. Comfortable in possession, aggressive without it, and blessed with a football intelligence that belies his age, the youngster has slotted into Cagliari's midfield and dictated games against sides that were supposed to be well beyond him. Coaches rave about his temperament; teammates point to his appetite for the ball in tight spaces. The numbers tell their own story. Romano's market value has soared since the switch, rising several times over what it stood at when he left the capital — a trajectory that has not gone unnoticed at the very club that let him go. Roma's hierarchy are said to be privately rueing the decision, with supporters citing his development as the latest example of talent slipping through their fingers. Now comes the biggest stage yet. The Italy call-up is formal recognition that his club form has crossed the radar of the national team setup, and with the FIFA World Cup 2026 on the horizon, the timing could hardly be better. Every debutant between now and the tournament in North America is effectively auditioning for a seat on the plane, and Romano has exactly the kind of profile — technically clean, tactically flexible, mentally robust — that international coaches prize in both squad players and starters. For Cagliari, the international recognition is validation of the entire project: a club unafraid to trust youth, rewarded with a player whose ceiling keeps rising. For Roma, it is a painful what-if that will linger through every transfer window. And for Romano himself, it is simply the next step — the moment a gamble on himself begins paying dividends at the highest level. The Azzurri shirt awaits. Romano has spent his entire career proving people wrong; now he gets the chance to do it in sky blue, with the eyes of a nation — and a World Cup summer — watching closely.