Francesco Pio Esposito
{{Short description|Italian footballer (born 2002)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2022}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Francesco Pio Esposito
| full_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2005|06|28|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Castellammare di Stabia, Italy
| height = 1.91 m
| position = Forward
| currentclub = Spezia
(on loan from Inter Milan)
| clubnumber = 9
| youthyears1 = 2011–2014
| youthclubs1 = Brescia
| youthyears2 = 2014–2023
| youthclubs2 = Inter Milan
| years1 = 2023–
| clubs1 = Inter Milan
| caps1 = 0
| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2023–
| clubs2 = → Spezia (loan)
| caps2 = 68
| goals2 = 17
| nationalyears1 = 2022
| nationalteam1 = Italy U17{{cite web |url=https://figc.it/it/nazionali/nazionali-in-cifre/dettaglio-convocato/?calciatoreId=57130&squadraId=15 |publisher=FIGC.it |language=it |accessdate=17 July 2023 |title=Convocazioni e presenze in campo FRANCESCO ESPOSITO|date=26 May 2023 }}
| nationalcaps1 = 4
| nationalgoals1 = 1
| nationalyears2 = 2022–2023
| nationalteam2 = Italy U18{{cite web |url=https://figc.it/it/nazionali/nazionali-in-cifre/dettaglio-convocato/?calciatoreId=57130&squadraId=14 |publisher=FIGC.it |language=it |accessdate=17 July 2023 |title=Convocazioni e presenze in campo FRANCESCO ESPOSITO|date=26 May 2023 }}
| nationalcaps2 = 5
| nationalgoals2 = 1
| nationalyears3 = 2023
| nationalteam3 = Italy U19{{cite web |url=https://figc.it/it/nazionali/nazionali-in-cifre/dettaglio-convocato/?calciatoreId=57130&squadraId=24 |publisher=FIGC.it |language=it |accessdate=17 July 2023 |title=Convocazioni e presenze in campo FRANCESCO ESPOSITO|date=26 May 2023 }}
| nationalcaps3 = 8
| nationalgoals3 = 2
| nationalyears4 = 2023
| nationalteam4 = Italy U20{{cite web |url=https://figc.it/it/nazionali/nazionali-in-cifre/dettaglio-convocato/?calciatoreId=57130&squadraId=20 |publisher=FIGC.it |language=it |accessdate=17 July 2023 |title=Convocazioni e presenze in campo FRANCESCO ESPOSITO|date=26 May 2023 }}
| nationalcaps4 = 6
| nationalgoals4 = 1
| nationalyears5 = 2023–
| nationalteam5 = Italy U21{{cite web |url=https://figc.it/it/nazionali/nazionali-in-cifre/dettaglio-convocato/?calciatoreId=57130&squadraId=20 |publisher=FIGC.it |language=it |accessdate=17 July 2023 |title=Convocazioni e presenze in campo FRANCESCO ESPOSITO|date=26 May 2023 }}
| nationalcaps5 = 11
| nationalgoals5 = 7
| club-update = 13 April 2025
| nationalteam-update = 19 November 2024
| medaltemplates = {{Medal|Sport|Men's football}}
{{Medal|Country|{{fb|ITA}}}}
{{Medal|Comp|FIFA U-20 World Cup}}
{{Medal|RU|2023 Argentina|}}
{{MedalCompetition|UEFA European Under-19 Championship}}
{{Medal|W|2023 Malta|}}
}}
Francesco Pio Esposito ({{IPA|it|eˈspɔːzito}}; born 28 June 2005) is an Italian professional footballer who plays as a forward for {{Italian football updater|Spezia}} club Spezia, on loan from Inter Milan.
Club career
=Inter Milan=
Esposito is a youth player for Inter Milan. He started his career as an attacking midfielder, then becoming a striker. Esposito was a regular for the Under-19 team of Inter, despite being only 17 at the time, also appearing in the 2022–23 UEFA Youth League.{{cite web |url=https://www.calciomercato.com/news/italia-senza-bomber-l-inter-aspetta-il-terzo-esposito-il-futuro--63970 |publisher=Calciomercato.com |language=it |date=30 March 2023 |title=Esposito: Italia senza bomber? L'Inter aspetta Francesco Pio, il futuro è già scritto}}{{cite web |url=https://www.gazzetta.it/Calcio/Serie-A/Inter/15-02-2023/esposito-inter-primavera-tripletta-cagliari-460245605473.shtml |publisher=La Gazzetta dello Sport |language=it |date=15 February 2023 |title=Esposito, show con l'Inter Primavera: tripletta al Cagliari. Chi è il nuovo talento nerazzurro}}
On 9 July 2023, Esposito extended his contract with Inter until 2027.{{cite press release |publisher=Inter Milan |date=9 July 2023 |title=VALENTIN CARBONI AND FRANCESCO PIO ESPOSITO SIGN CONTRACT EXTENSIONS |url=https://www.inter.it/en/news/valentin-carboni-francesco-pio-esposito-sign-contract-extensions}}{{cite web |url=https://www.fcinternews.it/mercato/l-inter-trova-l-accordo-con-francesco-pio-esposito-rinnovo-fino-al-2027-e-lo-spezia-l-ha-gia-chiesto-in-prestito-929295 |publisher=Internews.it |language=it |date=29 June 2023 |title=L'Inter trova l'accordo con Francesco Pio Esposito: rinnovo fino al 2027. E lo Spezia l'ha già chiesto in prestito}}
On 11 April 2025, Esposito extended his contract with Inter until 2030.{{cite web |publisher=Ontheminute |date=11 April 2025 |title=Man Utd, Leicester and Nottingham Forest target signs new Inter deal |url=https://www.ontheminute.com/man-utd-leicester-and-nottingham-forest-target-signs-new-inter-deal/51119}}
==Loan to Spezia==
On 1 August 2023, he joined Serie B club Spezia on loan.{{Cite press release|title=UFFICIALE {{!}} FRANCESCO PIO ESPOSITO È UN NUOVO CALCIATORE DELLO SPEZIA|url=https://www.speziacalcio.com/it/news/ufficiale-francesco-pio-esposito-un-nuovo-calciatore-dello-spezia.25051.html|access-date=1 August 2023|date=1 August 2023|website=Spezia Calcio|language=it}} Esposito made his professional debut on 14 August 2023, coming on as a substitute in the round of 64 of the Coppa Italia against Venezia.{{cite web |url=https://www.legaseriea.it/en/match/2023-24cpita32miuni1speven|publisher=Lega Serie A|language=en |date=14 August 2023 |title=SPEZIA VS VENEZIA}}
On 19 July 2024, Spezia announced the extension of Esposito's loan from Inter for one more year.{{cite web |url=https://www.tuttomercatoweb.com/serie-b/spezia-pio-esposito-e-ancora-aquilotto-nuovamente-confermato-il-suo-prestito-dall-inter-1991716 |publisher=Tuttomercatoweb |language=it |date=2024-07-19 |accessdate=2024-07-19 |title=Spezia, Pio Esposito è ancora aquilotto. Nuovamente confermato il suo prestito dall'Inter}}
International career
Esposito is a regular player in Italy's youth teams.
Between May and June 2023, he took part in the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup, which Italy ended as runners-up, and scored one goal during the tournament and playing also the final.{{cite web |url=https://www.gazzetta.it/Calcio/Serie-A/Spezia/12-06-2023/esposito-under-20-bari-spezia-tre-finali-tutte-perse-4602013311736.shtml |publisher=La Gazzetta dello Sport |language=it |title=Tre finali tutte perse: che domenica da incubo per i fratelli Esposito |date=12 June 2023}} Just a month later, in July, he was part of the Italy squad that won the 2023 UEFA European Under-19 Championship, scoring one goal as well.{{cite web |url=https://www.gazzetta.it/Calcio/nazionali/storie/17-07-2023/italia-campione-under-19-chi-sono-gli-azzurrini-di-bollini/francesco-pio-esposito-attaccante.shtml |publisher=La Gazzetta dello Sport |language=it |title=Dai cugini Dellavalle al boom di Kayode: chi sono gli azzurrini campioni d'Europa |date=17 July 2023}}
On 8 September 2023, he made his debut with the Italy U21, in the 2025 UEFA European Under-21 qualifying match against Latvia. On 5 September 2024, he scored four goals in the qualifying match won 7-0 against San Marino.{{cite web |url=https://it.soccerway.com/matches/2024/09/05/europe/uefa-u21-championship-qualification/italy-under-21/san-marino-under-21/4034455/ |publisher=Soccerway.com |language=en |title=Italy U21 vs. San Marino U21 7 - 0 |date=5 September 2024}}
Career statistics
=Club=
{{updated|match played 13 April 2025}}{{soccerway|francesco-pio-esposito/783785|accessdate=21 December 2024}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition | ||||||||
| rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|National cup !colspan="2"|Europe !colspan="2"|Total | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| rowspan="3"|Spezia
|rowspan="2"|Serie B |38 | 3 | 1 | 0| | |||||
| |39 | 3 | |||||||
| 2024–25
|30 | 14 | 1 | 0| | |||||
| |31 | 14 | |||||||
| colspan="2"|Total
!68 | 17 | 2 | 0 | - | - | 70 | 17 |
Personal life
He is the younger brother of midfielder Salvatore and striker Sebastiano Esposito.
Honours
Italy U20
- FIFA U-20 World Cup runner-up: 2023
Italy U19
Individual
- Serie B Footballer of the Year: 2023–24{{Cite news |last=Young |first=Peter |date=2 December 2024 |title=Every category and Serie A nominee at the Gran Gala del Calcio |url=https://football-italia.net/every-category-serie-a-nominees-gran-gala-2024/ |access-date=3 December 2024 |publisher=Football Italia |language=en-GB}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Spezia Calcio squad}}
{{Serie B Footballer of the Year}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Esposito, Francesco Pio}}
Category:Footballers from Castellammare di Stabia
Category:Italian men's footballers
Category:Men's association football forwards
Category:Italy men's youth international footballers
Category:Italy men's under-21 international footballers