Spalletti: Italy have five ‘top class’ players, Pio Esposito similar to Vieri | OneFootball

Luciano Spalletti says Italy have five ‘top-class’ players and feels Francesco Pio Esposito is similar to Christian Vieri.

The former CT was one of the hosts of Festival dello Sport in Trento on Sunday.

Spalletti names Italy’s top-class players

FLORENCE, ITALY – OCTOBER 07: Head coach Italy Luciano Spalletti speaks with the media during Italy press conference at Centro Tecnico Federale di Coverciano on October 07, 2024 in Florence, Italy. (Photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images)

“In my opinion, Italy has everything. Even if we can choose from a limited number of players, we have 25 with whom we can build a competitive team. Donnarumma is top class, like Di Lorenzo, Bastoni, Tonali and Barella. Pio Esposito gives you the confidence that he’ll have a real presence inside the penalty area,” Spalletti told reporters via Sky Sport.

Pio Esposito scored his first international goal last night, contributing to Italy’s 3-1 win over Estonia.

Spalletti compares Pio Esposito to Vieri

MILAN, ITALY – MARCH 30: Former player Christian Vieri looks on before the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and Udinese Calcio at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on March 30, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

“Last night, he scored an incredible goal, for both coordination and the way he struck the ball. Maybe Bobo Vieri was something like that,” argued Spalletti.

“Whatever you threw at him, he’d return it clean and perfectly set up. Pio is the same. I saw him play many times for Spezia last season.

“Italy will go to the World Cup, for sure, they will. Because the players are strong and because Gattuso immediately found the right balance by playing those two forwards when it was necessary,” concluded the former Azzurri boss.

“He was very good, he has solutions, and this national team has the potential to become great.”