AC Milan veteran Rino Gattuso is delighted seeing teammate Ignazio Abate in the Italy squad.

The 24-year-old won his first call-up to the Italian national squad on Sunday and Gattuso insists that he is good enough to remain within the Giro Azzurro.

"Ignazio had deserved this call for some time," the currently sidelined midfielder told Milan News.

"They made him suffer given that he's had to wait for so long for this chance with the international squad.

"He does really deserve his place in the squad though," the World Cup winner added. "It is a reward for all the improvements he has made over these years."