Inter Prodigy In Line To Make Gennaro Gattuso’s Maiden Azzurri Roster
Francesco Pio Esposito is set to earn his first senior Italy call-up when Gennaro Gattuso names his roster for the World Cup qualifiers next month. Gattuso replaced Luciano Spalletti earlier this summer. The Milan and Azzurri legend will entertain his first two fixtures against Estonia and Israel in September. As it stands, the Italians are […]
Ben Horlock
Updated on 20 August 2025
Francesco Pio Esposito is set to earn his first senior Italy call-up when Gennaro Gattuso names his roster for the World Cup qualifiers next month.
Gattuso replaced Luciano Spalletti earlier this summer. The Milan and Azzurri legend will entertain his first two fixtures against Estonia and Israel in September.
As it stands, the Italians are nine points off top spot in Group I. After losing 3-0 to Norway on MD1, the 2006 World Cup winners beat Moldova 2-0 at the Mapei Stadium. They currently have two games in hand on the Norwegians who lead the way.
Francesco Pio Esposito Italy Call-Up
After Francesco Pio Esposito heaped praise on Inter boss Cristian Chivu, it appears the 20-year-old starlet can do no wrong at the moment.
Pio Esposito said that he has a special bond with the Romanian and he’ll be hoping that translates with Gennaro Gattuso. On Tuesday, Matteo Moretto claimed a senior Italy call-up is a strong possibility.
Gattuso is a keen admirer of Pio Esposito and is willing to give him his chance in September’s fixtures. As vital as the Israel and Estoia games are, the 47-year-old is keen to unleash the Nerazzurri prodigy.
Pio Esposito has looked sharp in the off-season and scored against River Plate in the FIFA Club World Cup. He also netted an audacious back-heel flick in the friendly win against Monza.
Francesco Pio Esposito 2024-25 Stats
Francesco Pio Esposito’s expected Italy call-up probably won’t come as a surprise to many soccer supporters. Although he is yet to be fully unleashed at Inter, that will likely happen in 2025-26.
The 20-year-old has all the characteristics and attributes that suggest he’ll go to the very top. His physique, predatory instincts and clinical finishing make him a prime candidate to succeed.
Last season, Pio Esposito thrived at Serie B outfit Spezia. The forward slammed home 19 goals across 40 appearances across all competitions.
He was also named as the divisional Player of the Year for his efforts. Naturally, Genaaro Gattuso is happy with what he has seen so far and appears willing to give Pio Esposito his chance next month.
Ben Horlock
Ben has a long standing devotion to Italian soccer and in particular, Serie A. Ben grew up watching legendary presenter James Richardson deliver the latest news and views with the daily papers and breakfast in hand. Not only does Ben follow Italy's top soccer division, he is an avid follower of all the major European leagues. Ben is an expert on all things Serie A and has produced a number of features and news articles for FootItalia as well as UK-based outlets such as HITC, 90min, GiveMeSport and Betfair. In the US, Ben has been published on ESPN and Sports Illustrated.
Our unbiased editorial policy
Despite ongoing collaborations with commercial affiliates, the details, information, and reviews we provide remain honest and unbiased. We keep this in check by implementing a stringent editorial policy.
Our policy implements strict editorial standards, ensuring the integrity and trustworthiness of our articles, news, and reviews. Only the highest-quality content reaches our pages. We achieve this through conducting thorough research on each topic, conveyed to you using unbiased reporting, to ensure we earn your trust and keep it.
