Having represented Italy at youth level, he made his debut for the senior national team in November 2014, in a friendly match against Albania.

He scored 6 goals in 34 matches of Serie A, producing 8 assists and helping his team reaching 6th place in the league.

[citation needed] In June 2015, Roma bought the other part of Bertolacci's player rights from Genoa for a sum of €8.5m.

[14] He played all 3 matches of the 2008 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship elite qualification, in which Italy did not qualify to the next round.

On 11 June 2013, Bertolacci scored a 94th-minute equaliser – his first goal for the under-21s – against Norway in the European U-21 Championships to ensure Italy topped their group.

[19] On 9 November 2014, he was called up by Antonio Conte to the senior squad ahead of a UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying match against Croatia and a friendly against Albania.

[20] On 18 November, he made his debut with senior team against Albania, playing for 70 minutes in a 1–0 win at Stadio Luigi Ferraris.

On 28 March 2015, Bertolacci made his second appearance for Italy in a Euro 2016 qualifying match against Bulgaria in Sofia which finished 2–2.

[21] Bertolacci is a quick, hardworking, versatile and well-rounded midfielder, who is also capable of playing in several other positions, due to his ability to aid his team both offensively and defensively.