Within moments of Gianluigi Donnarumma’s decisive save, the screams of tens of thousands of fans exploded across Italian towns and cities. The celebrations continued long into the night, with many Italians missing a night’s sleep amid the sound of fireworks, smoke bombs, chanting and tooting car horns.
In Rome, euphoric fans had gathered next to the Colosseum and other key monuments, waving the Italian flag, dancing and singing songs including Notti Magiche (Magic Nights) by Gianna Nannini and Edoardo Bennato.
“Although the very first thing I did was post a message on Facebook: Brexit,” joked Cristal Gerardi. “I felt so discouraged when England scored so soon into the start of the game, but then Italy woke up in the second half.”
The Italian squad led by their manager, Roberto Mancini, returned to Rome early the morning after carrying the Euro 2020 trophy. Celebrations had died down by Monday with the traditional victory parade scrapped due to Covid restrictions, but many people could still be seen wearing Italy shirts as they walked around the city.
Under the sweltering July heat, about 100 fans welcomed their heroes as they arrived at Rome’s Hotel Parco dei Principi, while others gathered close to the presidential palace in the hope of catching a glimpse or photo of the team as they went to present the trophy to Italy’s president Sergio Mattarella, who was among the spectators at Wembley.
In Palermo, many Azzurri supporters had watched the final on giant screens in squares and bars.
“Do you know when I realised we were going to win? When I heard the England fans booing the Italian national anthem,” said Carla Gasperini, 50, a Palermo resident. “It fuelled our players. It wasn’t only disrespectful, it was counterproductive. I mean, you can’t kneel for the Black Lives Matter movement and then boo the national anthem of another country.”
Until the very end, Onofrio Raimondi, from Sutera, a small town in the Sicilian province of Caltanissetta, did not believe Italy would triumph. “Especially after that first mistake on penalties,” he said. “Not to mention after Jorginho’s mistake. Donnarumma saved us. I spent the whole night celebrating in the alleys of the city, with my children. I will never forget this moment.”
Raimondi added: “England kicked themselves out of the European Union and we kicked them out of the European cup.”
Donnarumma, 22, is the first goalkeeper to be named as player of the tournament. He said the team’s fighting spirit was the key to their victory. “We never gave an inch, we’re a fantastic side and deserve all of this,” he said.
The fans agreed. “They were fantastic,” said Liliana Bonfiglio, who lives in Rome. “It made me really emotional to see [Roberto] Mancini cry.”
The tournament had helped to lift spirits, she added, especially after 18 months of the coronavirus pandemic. “We needed some optimism.”
Massimo, also a Rome resident, said England were tough opposition. “England played well, maybe even a bit better than us,” he said. “But what I didn’t like to see were the England players removing their [runners-up] medals after the defeat. It didn’t show good sportsmanship and was unsophisticated.”
