Zola praises rising talents: from Pio Esposito to Liberali, Italy's future looks bright

Gianfranco Zola has outlined a profile of young talents competing in European competitions, starting with Inter and Pio Esposito. The comparison chosen by the former striker is with Luca Toni: same playing style, equal difficulty in being neutralized. Different, however, is the parallel with Vieri, also previously linked to the 2005-born Nerazzurri prospect, but blessed with greater pace over longer distances. Zola's verdict is clear: "He will be the future of the national team."

At Como, Mattia Liberali stands out—a talent currently held back by competition within the Lariano project but viewed by Zola as destined to become a major protagonist. "He's already good, now he needs to take the next step," is the assessment from the former player, who sees the Lombard club as the ideal environment for continued development. Among other players observed by Zola are international names such as Malen at Napoli, for whom the analyst recalls a previous direct encounter: "Two years ago I saw him in Chelsea-Borussia Dortmund and I was impressed. He can still give much more."