According to a report by GOAL on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, Arsenal defender Riccardo Calafiori has admitted that he is beginning to feel more experienced within the Italy national team as he takes on greater leadership responsibilities ahead of their Nations League encounter against France.

The 24-year-old is preparing for Thursday's important meeting at San Siro, where Italy will attempt to strengthen their chances of reaching the Nations League quarter-finals.

Calafiori has gradually established himself as an important member of the Italian squad, having initially featured primarily as a centre-back before becoming increasingly familiar with the left-back position.

His development at Arsenal has also strengthened his reputation, with the defender taking on responsibilities that require him to contribute both defensively and offensively.

Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Calafiori acknowledged that the presence of several young players in the Italian squad has changed how he views his position within the group.

The former Bologna defender explained that although he still considers himself relatively inexperienced at international level, he tries to set an example through his performances rather than relying on verbal instructions.

Italy will approach Thursday's fixture with increased confidence after recovering from their disappointing opening defeat against Belgium.

Roberto Mancini's side began their campaign with a 2-0 home loss but subsequently recorded two victories against Turkiye before securing an important 1-1 draw against France in their previous meeting at the Stade de France.

Calafiori believes those results have helped the players develop greater confidence in their manager's methods, although he acknowledged that there is still considerable work to complete.

The Arsenal defender also warned against underestimating France despite their significant injury problems ahead of the encounter.

Didier Deschamps' squad could be without several important players, including Kylian Mbappe, who is reportedly struggling with a muscular problem. William Saliba, Ousmane Dembele, Marcus Thuram, Aurelien Tchouameni and Jules Kounde are also among the reported absentees.

However, Calafiori insisted that France still possess enough quality to make the contest difficult for Italy.

He also expressed his desire to face Bayern Munich winger Michael Olise again after being assigned to mark the Frenchman during their previous encounter.

France currently lead Group 1 with 10 points, while Italy occupy second position with seven points, three ahead of Belgium.

A victory at San Siro would strengthen Italy's position before their final group fixture away against Belgium on Sunday.