Baldini says Pio Esposito wants to play for Italy’s U21 team at the 2027 European Championship.

Francesco Pio Esposito celebrates Italy’s goal against Luxembourg (@optapaolo)


Silvio Baldini says Inter striker Francesco Pio Esposito wants to play for Italy U21s at next summer’s European Championships as long as he is not too busy with the senior squad in June: “We hope they leave him with us.”

Baldini: Esposito told me he wants to play for Italy’s U21 national team at the Euros

Baldini and Italy recently qualified for the European Under-21 Championship in the summer of 2027, topping their group with a 6-2 victory over Poland in their final qualifier and guaranteeing a place in the final tournament.

CESENA, ITALY - OCTOBER 10: Italy U-21 head coach Silvio Baldini during the UEFA U21 EURO Qualifier match between Italy U21 vs Sweden U21 at the ad hoc Arena im Ernst-Abbe-Sportfeld on October 10, 2025 in Cesena, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)
CESENA, ITALY – OCTOBER 10: Silvio Baldini, head coach of Italy U-21 during the UEFA U21 EURO Qualifying Match between Italy U21 vs Sweden U21 at the ad hoc Arena im Ernst-Abbe-Sportfeld on October 10, 2025 in Cesena, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)

Baldini has high hopes for the Azzurri at the Euros. La Gazzetta dello Sport that he wants to win the title and an Olympic gold medal next summer, and that both of those accomplishments are “definitely doable.”

Baldini was also asked by the Pink Paper if he intends to take any eligible members of the Italian squad to the EUROs at the end of the season. Anyone born in 2004 or later will be allowed to perform, including Esposito, Michael Kayode, Marco Palestra and Alessandro Romano.

Baldini said he wanted to continue working with the EURO-qualifying group but that Esposito had “given his availability” in the summer.

BOLOGNA - OCTOBER 05: Pio Esposito of Italy celebrates scoring his team's third goal during the UEFA Nations League 2026/27 group stage match between Italy and Turkey at Renato Dall'Ara Stadium on October 05, 2026 in Bologna. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
BOLOGNA – OCTOBER 05: Pio Esposito of Italy celebrates scoring his team’s third goal during the UEFA Nations League 2026/27 group stage match between Italy and Turkey on October 05, 2026 at Renato Dall’Ara Stadium in Bologna. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

“I will keep what I have, my boys,” Baldini told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

“The only person who gives me a chance is Pio Esposito, if he’s not too busy with the senior national team. When we left in June, he told me he wanted to play in the European Championship, because he missed the competition two years ago. We hope there will be no problem and they will leave him with us.”

Click here to read the full interview with Baldini.


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