At the start of the 20th century, Giuseppe and Felice Milano took to the pitch together, followed by Aldo and Luigi Cevenini. In the 2000s, Filippo and Simone Inzaghi lined up alongside each other twice, just as they had as children in their family living room. Now Sebastiano and Francesco Pio Esposito could write another chapter of history by becoming the fourth pair of brothers to play together for Italy’s senior side. They are the Azzurri’s newest band of brothers, a duo that might have been a trio alongside eldest sibling Salvatore, who made his senior Italy debut before either of them in June 2022. As fate would have it, Roberto Mancini was the coach who handed Salvatore his debut. “The boss was a great striker, so he can give us plenty of advice about the role,” Pio said on ‘Azzurri Live’. Italy face a gruelling run of fixtures during the latest international window. “Playing four matches in such quick succession is new to all of us, but it will be great,” Pio continued. “They are four important, high-level games and we can’t wait to get started.” The first comes against Belgium in Rome on Friday. “Starting at the Olimpico will help us,” Sebastiano added. “But we’ll be looking to pick up points regardless of whether we’re playing at home.”

A MUSICAL DEBUT. Pio already has nine caps and five goals for Italy, but, as he puts it, “Every time I return to the national team, it feels almost like the first time. It is always an incredible feeling.” Sebastiano, meanwhile, hopes to play his first senior minutes for Italy over the next fortnight. He did at least make his singing debut at the team dinner yesterday, alongside the other newcomers. A proud Neapolitan, he chose to perform ’O surdato ’nnamurato, one of Massimo Ranieri’s best-known songs. “And I have to say he was the best,” Pio admitted. “Yes, I sang fifth and thankfully the first four had been terrible,” Sebastiano replied.

FOOTBALL, THE TIE THAT BINDS. Both have already found the net this season. Pio has scored twice for Inter, while Sebastiano, who joined Sassuolo in the summer, quickly made an impression on his new supporters by opening the scoring in last week’s home win over Juventus. “Being part of the national team is incredible in itself and a dream come true,” Sebastiano said. “Being here with my brother makes it even more special. After Salvatore and Pio, I would never have forgiven myself if I had not been called up for Italy...” Sebastiano also revealed that Pio could have followed a very different career path: “When we were children, Salva and I would put him in goal and take shots at him. We almost convinced him to become a goalkeeper...” The brothers were also keen to thank their father Agostino and mother Flavia, the true secret behind their success. “They have always put us, their children, before everything else. We are very fortunate to have such wonderful parents. There have never been any arguments between us, and we have always shared a very strong bond built on love.”

LOOKING TO BUILD ON SUCCESS. Maintaining your standards in football is never easy. After making an important contribution to Inter’s Scudetto triumph and establishing himself with Italy, Pio knows expectations are now high. “Last year brought a lot of firsts for me, both with Inter and Italy. I just try to stay true to myself, remain humble and work hard.” He now knows almost everyone in the Azzurri squad. “I played alongside many of the new faces at Under-21 level. This national team has the right blend of youth and experience. I know how badly the senior players were hurt by missing out on the World Cup. There is a lot of enthusiasm about making a fresh start.”