Inter Milan forward Francesco Pio Esposito has established a new standard for efficiency within the Italian national football team.
The 21-year-old striker currently holds the best goals-per-minute ratio in the history of the Azzurri, according to Yahoo Sports.
Esposito has netted nine goals in 14 appearances for his country, maintaining an average of one goal every 88 minutes.
This prolific run included two goals during a 3-1 comeback victory against France at the San Siro, as noted by Goal.
The forward has surpassed the efficiency benchmarks set by several legendary Italian players.
He eclipsed the record previously held by Enrico Chiesa, who averaged a goal every 91 minutes during his career.
Other notable figures on the all-time efficiency list include Julio Libonatti, who scored at a rate of one every 102 minutes.
Esposito is also outperforming the nation’s highest-scoring legends in terms of frequency.
Luigi Riva, the all-time leading scorer for Italy with 35 goals, maintained a rate of one goal every 106 minutes.
Silvio Piola, third on the all-time scoring list, averaged a goal every 103 minutes.
Esposito recently gained attention for his performance in a penalty situation against France, as reported by Goal.
While maintaining this pace over a long career presents a monumental challenge, the forward is viewed as a player with immense potential.
Observers suggest that consistency at the club level will be essential for him to remain a vital asset for the national team.
If he continues his current scoring frequency, he could eventually challenge the long-standing overall goalscoring records established by Italy’s most iconic strikers.
For now, the young player remains focused on maintaining his momentum on the international stage.
His performance has firmly placed him at the top of the country’s all-time efficiency charts.