Liverpool forward Federico Chiesa has been called up by Italy for the first time in almost two years for the upcoming World Cup playoffs, with the Azzurri desperate to avoid missing a third consecutive edition.

Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso named a 28-man squad on Friday. The four-time World Cup champion needs to beat Northern Ireland in the playoffs on Thursday in Bergamo and then Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina away - five days later - to avoid going at least 16 years without playing a match at soccer's biggest event.