Italian journalist Paolo Condo heaped praise on Italy star Francesco Pio Esposito following a morale-wracking 4-1 loss to Norway.

Condo waxed lyrical about the Inter Milan prodigy in his latest Corriere della Sera column via FCInterNews.

Gennaro Gattuso suffered his first defeat in charge of the Azzurri in disturbing fashion.

Indeed, after a five-game winning start, the former AC Milan midfielder watched helplessly as the Scandinavians overran his side.

Despite taking an early lead through Francesco Pio Esposito, the four-time world champions fell apart in the second half.

Furthermore, Alessandro Bastoni produced another forgettable performance.

Manchester City talisman Erling Haaland proved too hot to handle for the Inter ace.

After a relatively quiet first half, the star striker bagged a second-half double to inspire Norway’s comeback.

In stark contrast to Bastoni’s dismal display, Esposito enjoyed a superb international debut at San Siro.

For context, he netted his first goal at Inter’s home venue, setting himself up perfectly for the upcoming Milan derby.

Paolo Condo Heaps Praise on Pio Esposito After Italy 1-4 Norway Rout

Francesco Pio Esposito Inter Milan
MILAN, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 21: Francesco Pio Esposito of Internazionale warms up prior to the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and US Sassuolo Calcio at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on September 21, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

“As long as they played in a distracted manner, Norway had been subdued by Italy, who, after Pio Esposito’s genuinely beautiful goal, could and should have added at least one more,” Condo wrote.

“It’s clear that the severity of the final defeat practically wipes out the positive notes from the first half.

“But since the blow was strong, we now need to avoid throwing the baby out with the bathwater.”

Then, Condo slammed Bastoni and his defensive partner, Riccardo Calafiori.

However, he hailed Federico Dimarco for producing another delightful assist.

“Calafiori is not yet considered fundamental for the Azzurri.

“We would like to see him play as a left-back, as he does in the Premier League, with Dimarco ahead of him to create a high-level left-side chain.

“That said, Esposito confirmed his quality even on such an unfortunate night.

“However, the defensive problem needs to be addressed, where Di Lorenzo, Mancini, and Bastoni impress with their quality in buildup play.

“Still, when it comes to containing a top striker in the box, they show their limits.”