Story perspectives

Italy Starts Esposito Brothers in Nations League Clash

By Drooid · Oct 3, 2026, 2:45 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

France will host Italy in the third round of the 2026–27 UEFA Nations League on Friday.
Italy will start brothers Pio and Sebastiano Esposito, the first siblings to start since 1915.
Zinedine Zidane guided France to 1–0 wins over Turkey and Belgium, leaving them the only Group 1 side without conceding.
Roberto Mancini returned as Italy’s head coach after a three-week break.
Italy lost to Belgium then beat Turkey 4–1.

History

Historical Context

In 1934 Italy hosted the second FIFA World Cup, qualifying as one of sixteen teams and defeating Czechoslovakia 2-1 on 10 June in Rome—a victory Mussolini leveraged for fascist propaganda and that made Italy Europe’s first World Cup champion. That legacy resurfaces as Italy reinstates Roberto Mancini and fields brothers Pio and Sebastiano Esposito in a Nations League clash with France.

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Story summary

France will host Italy in the third round of the 2026–27 UEFA Nations League on Friday.
Italy will start brothers Pio and Sebastiano Esposito, the first siblings to start since 1915.
Zinedine Zidane guided France to 1–0 wins over Turkey and Belgium, leaving them the only Group 1 side without conceding.
Roberto Mancini returned as Italy’s head coach after a three-week break.
Italy lost to Belgium then beat Turkey 4–1.

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