Soccer
Francesco Pio Esposito believes Italy’s youngsters must “prove ourselves one game at a time” after they led the Azzurri to a 1-0 win over Luxembourg.
Twenty-year-old Esposito scored the only goal for Italy, with his header just after half-time enough to clinch a narrow victory away from home.
Italy’s interim boss Silvio Baldini handed 15 debuts in the debut, with goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma the only regular named in the squad alongside Esposito.
Esposito (four goals in eight matches) is only the third player to score more than three goals wearing the Italy shirt before turning 21, after Giuseppe Meazza (11) and Gianni Rivera (five).
Meanwhile, the overall age of Italy’s starting lineup was 21 years and 354 days: it is the youngest for the Azzurri in a match from December 1912 (21 years and 308 days against Austria in a friendly, with coach Umberto Meazza).
Italy failed to qualify for the World Cup, which handed the younger players the opportunity to be named in this squad, and Esposito believes they can become regulars if they take their chance.
“I am happy to have helped the team bring home the result. Even if it’s a friendly, we took it very seriously and with the utmost effort,” Esposito told RAI Sport.
Pio Esposito’s goal proves decisive #Azzurri #VivoAzzurro #LUXITA pic.twitter.com/WuMYg9WrKa
— Italy (@Azzurri_En) June 3, 2026
“When I set foot on the pitch, I try to give my all, not just in scoring goals, but trying to be of service to my teammates.
“It was a wonderful thing to be near my teammates on their debuts. I was in their shoes a few months ago, it we great to see their emotion in the build-up, and when they came onto the pitch.
“We have a lot of responsibility because we wear the Italy shirt. It is true that we are young, but I think we are valid players and need to prove ourselves one game at a time.”
Italy face Greece in another friendly on June 7, while their new head coach will be named before the next international break in September.
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