BBC News
Published
image copyrightReuters
There have been scenes of jubilation across Italy after their football team defeated England 3-2 on penalties in the Euro 2020 final in London.
At a fan zone in Rome, thousands of fans started jumping in pure elation, shouting and hugging each other.
The victory at Wembley stadium brought Italy its first European title since 1968.
England remain without a major trophy since 1966, when they beat West Germany in the World Cup final 4-2.
Ecstatic Italy fans started street parties across the country immediately after the penalty shootout. I am so happy! We are Euro champions, I am going to celebrate all night, I am going to celebrate all night! Beatrice Mattioli in Rome told Reuters news agency.
It came Rome: Italy erupts in celebration after dramatic Euro 2020 success Julia Buckley
The rules had been clear. No crowding. No flares. No violence.
Fearing an ugly fallout from the match, whichever way it went, the Rome authorities had stopped public transport at 9pm and begun to cordon off parts of the city centre.
As it happened, the worst that happened as fans marched down Rome’s main street, the Via del Corso, was some knocked-down bins and scooters.
But in the capital, as across Italy, fans took to the streets to celebrate the Euro success against England.
Fans waved flags and chanted football anthems, including Seven Nation Army, which the Italians have adopted as their unofficial anthem. People celebrated wildly, on top of trams, on scooters, and with flares.
Photo: Reuters
Italy, where people have suffered during the coronavirus crisis and the deep economic recession provoked by the curbs, has welcomed the success with hope and relief. It s like living in a dream you don t want to wake up from. Italy has woken up from the nightmare of the pandemic, said fan Gianluca Iannilli, 25, who is studying to be an interpreter in Rome.
Photo: Reuters >
Photo: Reuters It s incredible, it s incredible, you can t feel better than this, it is amazing, we won the final, said Stefano Gucci, a fan in the crowds at Piazza Del Popolo in Rome.
Italians praised national team coach Roberto Mancini for leading the country out of the depths of disappointment when they missed out on qualifying for the 2018 World Cup in Russia and for guiding them to their first Euro title since 1968.
La Gazzetta dello Sport, one of Italy s foremost sports newspapers.
Italians praised coach Mancini for leading the country out of the depths of disappointment when they missed out on qualifying for the 2018 World Cup in Russia and for guiding them to their first Euro title since 1968.
Mancini has quickly restored the reputation of the Azzurri, who have won four World Cups but humiliatingly failed to qualify for the 2018 tournament in Russia.
A clearly proud and delighted
Corriere dello Sport sent a special message on Twitter to the Italian team: Non tutte le stelle vengono dal cielo. Grazie Azzurri! (Not all stars come from the sky. Thank you Azzurri).
Italy was quick to celebrate the national side’s nailbiting victory on penalties against England in the Euro 2020 Final at Wembley, with manager Roberto Mancini praised for turning around the fortunes of the team.
Mancini has quickly restored the reputation of the Azzurri who have won four World Cups but humiliatingly failed to qualify for the 2018 tournament in Russia.
La Repubblica’s website showed Mancini and the victorious team celebrating with the headline Europe Is Ours.
A comment piece, using religious language to describe the team, as the “predestined and the redeemed” singled out Mancini’s coolness and the “bravura” of goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma as being key to the victory at the expense of Gareth Southgate’s men.