Inter Milan star Francesco Pio Esposito has admitted he sought therapy to cope with the shock of Italy’s failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup for the third consecutive time.
Esposito was Italy’s first penalty taker against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the European playoff final, but his shot sailed over the crossbar, and with it, the Azzurri’s dreams began to crumble.
Speaking to Italian media, Esposito revealed the pain he suffered from the missed penalty and the loss of his World Cup dream, stating that he “felt completely devastated” by what happened.
The young Inter star continued, “I struggled a lot to process the disappointment at that moment. I was staring blankly and couldn’t understand what had happened; I felt shattered.”
He added, “The first thought that came to my mind was that I had let down my teammates, the people at home, my friends, and my family.”
He added, regarding the missed penalty, “That day, I was convinced I had to take the responsibility of shooting first, and I felt confident, but things went wrong.”
He also mentioned that his sports psychologist helped him overcome the situation, explaining, “A few months ago, I started working with a sports psychologist. I talk to him openly, and he gives me practical advice. This helps me a lot, and I enjoy delving into it.”
It’s worth noting that Pio Esposito, a graduate of Inter Milan’s academy, has scored nine goals and provided six assists in 41 appearances across all competitions this season, his first in Serie A.
