On 31 January 2009, Brazilian coach Dunga selected Amauri, who was still ineligible to play for Italy at the time, as a replacement for injured striker Luís Fabiano in an international friendly ironically against Italy. A few hours later, however, in the aftermath of a Juventus league game on the same day, Juventus Chairman Giovanni Cobolli Gigli stated the club's intention not to allow the player to respond to Brazil's call-up. On November 2009, Amauri himself confirmed his decision to play for Italy instead of Brazil following remarks by Italian striker Giampaolo Pazzini, who was critical about the possibility of having a non-Italian-born player within the "Azzurri" squad. After receiving Italian citizenship in April 2010, Amauri finally became eligible to play for the "Azzurri". Italy was scheduled to play two World Cup warm-up friendlies in June, who would feature players from a 30-men preliminary squad to be announced on 11 May, thus making Amauri unable to be featured in any of such friendly games without receiving a call-up to join such preliminary squad. Marcello Lippi, the Italy coach, said Amauri would be followed like all the other players and no certainly inclusion. Which Lippi did not ruled out a call-up to the foreign born player completely. He [Amauri] will be followed like all the other players. I am taking this month to evaluate and take decisions that have to be made exclusively for the good of the national team. –Marcello Lippi 13 April 2010 Lippi later expressed that he had confirmed 18 out of 23 players in his squad to the World Cup, and excluded Amauri from the 29-man squad of the training camp in Rome on 3–5 May. Amauri said he expected his exclusion as there were better players than him that season. On 6 August 2010, Amauri received his first call-up for the Italian national team as part of the squad announced by new head coach Cesare Prandelli for a friendly match against Ivory Coast, the first match after the 2010 World Cup. On 10 August, he started the match alongside fellow debutant Mario Balotelli, and Antonio Cassano, the latter making his first appearance in two years, in a new-look line-up. The Ivorians, however, won 1–0 at Upton Park, London. Amauri has been described as a physically strong player with good technique, who excels in the air, and who is capable of taking advantage of chances and finishing well in the penalty area.