Retegui: ‘I will step up and take more Italy penalties’ | OneFootball

Mateo Retegui insists the missed penalty will not put him off taking them again for Italy after the 3-1 victory in Estonia, especially as Erling Haaland had an even worse experience.

It was a good start in Tallinn, as Moise Kean found the net within five minutes and then limped off with a sprained ankle.

Retegui had a mixed half, seeing a penalty parried, but then scoring the second goal on Riccardo Orsolini’s assist.

Francesco Pio Esposito broke his senior Italy duck at age 20, only for Gianluigi Donnarumma to spoil the clean sheet by fumbling an easy cross into the path of Rauno Sappinen.

Retegui sees Italy on the right path

Italy celebrate during the 2026 World Cup qualifier against Estonia in Tallinn (@azzurri)

“I hope to continue like this, it was a good game, especially the first half. If the result had been a little different at half-time, then so would’ve been the second half, but it was decent anyway,” Retegui told RAI Sport.

“I’m so proud to be here, I hope to continue helping the team and winning games.”

Kean went off injured with a sprained ankle, allowing Inter centre-forward Pio Esposito to come on and form a new intriguing Italy partnership.

“I am sorry for Moise, hopefully it is nothing serious, I talked to him in the locker room. I combined well with Pio too, we have so many talented players who can work together, including Scamacca, Lucca, Raspadori, so we’ve all got to keep going and let the coach choose,” noted Retegui.

The former Atalanta striker had a penalty saved this evening, but in the same 2026 World Cup qualifying group, Norway’s Haaland saw two spot-kicks parried, as it was repeated for encroachment.

“I saw Norway’s game, I’m sorry about the penalty, these things can happen, but the important thing is I will get the ball for the next and score,” concluded Retegui.