Riccardo Gagliolo has started the Series A season with Parma in a good way. He has played every minute in the Italian club's back line and against Udinese in the second round he also became a goal scorer.
The 29-year-old, whose mother is from Njurunda outside Sundsvall, has both Swedish and Italian passports. Thus, it is not impossible for him to become one of the names that Sweden's federation captain Janne Andersson chooses to present in an upcoming national team squad.
To the Expressen, the Italy-born midback says he was visiting Sweden during the national team break and that he followed the League Cup's selection to Sweden's European qualifying matches against the Faroe Islands and Norway.
"Hoped I would come along"- I was hoping I would come along, but I didn't, he tells the newspaper.
The next national team break is in just over a month. Sweden play away in the European qualifier against Malta on October 12 and at home against Spain three days later. Should Gagliolo get a seat, it is a dream come true.
- It would be a dream for me to play for Sweden, I've always said that. Had Janne Andersson called me I would have accepted yes. It would have been a dream for the whole family, even for mom, grandma and grandpa, he says.