Francesco Pio Esposito led Italy to an important 3-1 win over France at the San Siro in the Nations League, scoring twice in a match that saw the Azzurri come from behind. With his brace, the Inter striker took his tally to 9 goals in 14 matches for the Italian national team, a record that puts him in direct comparison with some of the biggest names in Azzurri history.
Esposito’s numbers for Italy
With his two goals against France, Esposito reached 9 international goals, the same tally that Francesco Totti reached for Italy, though the latter needed 58 matches to achieve it. The difference in time between the two records highlights the speed at which the young player is progressing in his international career so far.
Speaking after the match about this record, Esposito said: “I’m very happy, this is a very important shirt, it’s everyone’s dream, and it’s an honour to wear it and you must always be worthy of it.” He added that he is happy with what he and the team are producing at this time.
On why he was emotional after scoring the penalty, he explained: “There was an extra responsibility, which was to forget my brother’s miss. When he missed, it was difficult for me too, and I had to finish it for him as well.” He noted that the penalty list included both their names, and that his teammate has the most goals from penalties in the team, and that missing is possible for any player.
Regarding the previous penalty he missed in Zenica, he said: “When I went to the penalty spot, the memory was there, but I couldn’t hide for the rest of my life, you have to have the courage to take it.”
What the win means for Arab and Moroccan fans
Italy collected 4 points from a possible 6 in their matches against France, a sign of the development of the young group led by the coach. Esposito confirmed that the team has been working calmly since the coach’s arrival, and that the group includes a mix of young players and experienced ones, calling for continued enthusiasm.
The 21-year-old now has a chance to surpass his current tally, as he stands at 9 goals and needs one more to reach 10, a tally that Antonio Cassano reached in 39 matches and Gianfranco Zola in 35 matches. With his current goal ratio for the Azzurri, the next names seem within his reach in the near future.
You can follow the rest of the Nations League reports and national team results on the InfoSport website.
