Shaw gave England the lead in the second minute, but Southgate made the wrong changes and Bonucci equalised in the 66th minute, with Donnarumma saving three penalties in quick succession

Italy storms Wembley with a hard Brexit for England

photo_camera AP/MICHAEL REGAN - The Italy team celebrates with the trophy on the podium after winning the final of the Euro 2020 football championship between England and Italy at Wembley Stadium in London on Sunday 11 July 2021

On 11 July 1982 Paolo Rossi, Marco Tardelli and Alessandro Altobelli gave Italy their third World Cup with a 3-1 win over West Germany at the Santiago Bernabeu. Then came the 2006 World Cup with Fabio Cannavaro as captain.

15 years after the last achievement, Italy once again led the way in football, this time in Europe. They did it at Wembley, against England and in a strange European Championship that kept Portugal as king of the old continent for five years due to the pandemic.

#Eriksen

The European Championship of the 11 venues, of the return of the public to the stadiums, of the almighty France and the Spain that had the country more divided, if possible. The Euro that began with Eriksen resuscitated thanks to the doctors and with the Puskas Arena in Budapest bouncing from boat to boat with 70,000 spectators in a picture for history in that 0-3 Hungary-Portugal match.

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UEFA was grateful to England. The country of the teams that rejected the Super League. Their team was invited to win the tournament. They played every game at Wembley except for the round of 16 drubbing of Ukraine which they sealed in Rome. His play suggested that this was his European Championship. He finished with 11 goals scored and four conceded. When the going got tough in the semi-final against Denmark, there was Dutch referee Danny Makkelie to give Sterling the boost he needed. A penalty in extra time to "plunge" the English into the final as the local press would boast using the verb in all its wickedness.

#IsabelII

Southgate's side had everything going for them against Italy. Wembley with 67,173 spectators, barely 8,000 Italians, the letter from Elizabeth II urging the team to repeat what she experienced in 1966 with that World Cup that her country won against West Germany on the same stage. There was also the typical British rain and, above all, a goal by Shaw in the second minute that put the game away.

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Opposing them was Italy, a footballing workhorse that has forged its legend by battling on pitches all over the world. Without an overly pretty game, they went from strength to strength at the European Championship. Their worst game was against Spain, but the luck of penalties gave them a final. Bonucci and Chiellini have added years and experience, but no one can deny their commitment and passion for their country from the time the anthem is played until the end of the match. They don't need to get minutes in inconsequential matches, nor impose their will on Mancini, nor use the Azzurri to their advantage. They are Roman soldiers adding to the Italian legend.

#Chiesa

Chiesa is the player of the Euro. Federico is the son of Enrico, Mancini's team-mate in the Sampdoria forward line of the 1990s. His father was unable to win Euro 1996 although he scored a goal in Italy's defeat of the Czech Republic in the second group game. His son is the diamond that can raise the level of any squad in Europe. His contract runs out in 2022 and, if Juventus and Sampdoria do not agree, the midfielder is Premier League or LaLiga fodder.

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Bonucci put the scoreboard in order in the 66th minute, beating Pickford after several rebounded shots to finally raise the standard of England's goalkeepers. From Seaman to "Calamity" James they have never had a better goalkeeper. And along came Southgate with his coaching attack to implement situations he had not prepared for. It was clear that leaving Rashford or Sancho on the bench was not a good plan to start with. Neither was giving Henderson a start in 74 and then changing him again in the 120th minute to put Rashford on the pitch to take a penalty. Sancho also came on in the 120th minute and also missed. And to add to the drama, Arsenal's very young Bukayo Saka (19) was charged with taking the decisive penalty that ended up in Donnarumma's hands.

#Donnarumma

The new PSG goalkeeper was named player of the Euro 2020. Five penalty shoot-outs in his career and all five won. Gianluigi Donnarumma has been Italy's first-choice goalkeeper since he made his debut as a 17-year-old in 2016. Standing almost two metres tall and with nerves of steel, the Neapolitan saved three penalties in a row against England and gave them a hard brexit in their own stadium. Controversial agent Mino Raiola enjoyed watching one of his star products being revalued for another million-dollar move.

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#Spinazzola

This tells the story of an Italy side that won Euro 2020 after missing out on the 2018 World Cup in Russia and with a squad without any big stars. Spinazzola was the first to collect the winners' medal. On crutches and with a smile he greeted Ceferin before Bonucci picked up the European national team winner's cup with the skill of a worker who receives his salary at the end of the month. The humble Euro smile that joked with a circumspect Jordi Alba before the penalty shoot-out draw.

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England will have to wait for Qatar 2022. It will be another chance for their best generation in recent years to fight for a world title. Southgate may not make it to the World Cup. He will be singled out by the English press for his lacklustre football with a team full of players with a lot of quality. The next European Championship will be back in 2024 and it will be in Germany. Ceferin has also announced that up to 32 teams will be able to play in it.

Italy honoured La Carra and Paolo Rossi, both of whom enjoyed the bluer sky from above.

 

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