Pio and Sebastiano Esposito make Italy history after 111 years

Pio and Sebastiano Esposito gave Italy a landmark moment by starting together against Turkey in Bursa. Their appearance ended a 111-year wait for two brothers to feature from the opening whistle for the national team. Aldo and Luigi Cevenini had been the previous pair to do so, in 1915.

The partnership also influenced the match. Sebastiano supplied disciplined work on the left and helped Italy without the ball, while Pio offered a strong presence at centre-forward. The younger Esposito then added a goal after the interval, reacting first when Sandro Tonali’s effort came back off the post and directing the rebound into the net.

The occasion extended the Esposito family’s international story. Salvatore, the oldest brother, had already represented Italy after making his debut in 2022. Pio dedicated his goal to their grandmother, who is going through a difficult period, and spoke of his hope that the brothers would share many more matches in the national shirt. Their display helped Italy respond after the defeat by Belgium and gave Roberto Mancini an attacking pairing with both family significance and immediate value.