Kean’s anxiety: he hasn’t trained, new tests tomorrow. With Israel, the alternative is Pio Esposito

Warning to readers: we are talking about a chrysalis that has not yet become a beautiful butterfly, so we must give it time to grow (and make mistakes) without rushing, following the natural course of things. The protagonist of the story is Pio Esposito: twenty years old, an imposing physique, a role (that of center forward) that ignites people’s imagination and hope, a future that everyone predicts will be golden, but in these cases it is always better to take it slow, not to overload with responsibility a young man who, until a year ago, was playing in Serie B. Let’s enjoy his blossoming talent and not ask him to be what he is not yet. For now, let’s evaluate what we have seen, relying on direct experience and the test of reality, not just emotions.

A cross comes in from the left, rather tense and low, and Pio, with excellent timing, strikes the ball with the outside of his right foot and sends it into the far corner. It is a move worthy of a pure center forward. To be clear: a move made by someone who is comfortable in the opponent’s penalty area, has the clarity to choose the right position to evade the defender’s intervention, and has the courage to attempt a volley. Among other things, a detail that is by no means irrelevant, the shot is taken on the rebound. If you don’t master the technique, you don’t even think about this type of shot. Esposito knows the fundamentals of soccer and applies them. In this move, it is worth noting the center forward’s ability to break free from his marker, giving him the space he needs to shoot, and here we already see that touch of cunning that a striker must possess. Not that he resembles him physically, far from it, but another great Italian center forward had this ability to be in the right place at the right time: Alessandro Altobelli.

Pio Esposito and the comparison with Altobelli—  “Spillo,” tall and thin as a nail, certainly did not have the physical power of Pio Esposito, but the latter has, like his illustrious “ancestor,” the ability to break free in a confined space such as the penalty area. It is true that Altobelli played in a Jurassic era of soccer (and how beautiful it was!), but we must not forget that the basic principles, when you find yourself in the heart of the opposing defense, are always the same. Like “Spillo,” Pio, despite his height, knows how to control the ball and dribble in a small space. This is also a technical skill that should not be underestimated and needs to be worked on to improve it further. Still referring to what we saw in the match in Tallinn, there is one action in particular that stuck in my mind. Pio Esposito, in a quick turnaround in the center of the field, receives the ball, controls it, and passes it to a teammate. On another occasion, he attempted the same move near the penalty area. This shows that the youngster has vision, that he knows in advance how the play will develop, and that he also has the qualities to finish. In our humble opinion, one of the best strikers to have worn the blue jersey, who possessed this ability to read the play and invite his teammates to join in, was Roberto Bettega.

The parallel between Pio Esposito and Bettega—  Bobby-gol, as he was called, is remembered for his splendid headers (his header was a sure thing) or his backheel goals (one fantastic goal scored at San Siro against Milan), but his best talent was probably his ability, as a striker, to tie the whole team’s play together. This is evidenced by his retreat to a position on the field very close to that of an attacking midfielder in the latter years of his career. We are not saying that Pio Esposito is like Bettega, because then we could say we are set for the next ten years, but his broad vision of the game reminds us of the great Bobby-gol. In the last few hours, after his goal against Estonia, the comparison game has begun: who does Pio Esposito resemble? Some have mentioned Bobo Vieri, but he probably doesn’t have the power or progression. Others have brought up Luca Toni, but Pio is perhaps more technical and more of a playmaker. Some have argued, staying within the Italian national team, that some of his movements are reminiscent of those of the early Montella, but even in this case, the physical difference between the two does not allow for a credible comparison.
Pio Esposito, personality and courage—  The truth is that, at the moment, it is difficult to find similarities with other greats from the distant and recent past. Esposito has demonstrated the ability to break free in the box that Altobelli possessed, and the vision of a striker like Bettega. However, it is worth noting that he still has a long way to go to reach the level of these predecessors. On the other hand, Pio is only 20 years old, and at 20, he certainly has plenty of time to learn. Meanwhile, and this is another point worth highlighting, the young man who was playing in Serie B last year made his debut for the national team without batting an eyelid or showing any particular emotion. He accepted the weight of responsibility and had the courage to try difficult things, as evidenced by his goal. This shows that Pio has personality, which is definitely a point in his favor. Now he mustn’t get carried away, even if coach Gattuso and his Inter coach Cristian Chivu, while praising his qualities, will keep him grounded, as is advisable in these cases. Pio Esposito is a chrysalis; let’s give him time and be patient so that he can become a beautiful butterfly flying in the blue sky.