Italian renaissance

ROME • Italy captain Giorgio Chiellini held aloft the gleaming trophy before a crowd of joyful fans yesterday as he and his triumphant team returned home from their victory against England in Euro 2020.

There were euphoric scenes overnight following Sunday's victory at Wembley, as fans draped in the tricolour flag thronged streets across Italy and the sound of fireworks and beeping cars and scooters filled the air.

And there was elation among a group who got up early - or never went to bed - to greet the Azzurri as they arrived back in Rome yesterday morning, fronted by Chiellini, the 36-year-old veteran at the heart of Italy's defence, wearing a crown.

A grinning Leonardo Spinazzola, who played an outstanding role in the team's progress before injuring his Achilles tendon in the quarter-final against Belgium, had earlier hopped down the steps of the plane at Rome's Fiumicino and hobbled on crutches across the tarmac to cheers from media and airport staff snapping photographs.

They were invited to meet with Prime Minister Mario Draghi last night and also with President Sergio Mattarella, who himself was in London to watch the match.

Italy coach Roberto Mancini had wept after three years of hard work came to fruition when his side edged England on penalties. The Italians went behind early to a Luke Shaw goal but equalised in the second half through Leonardo Bonucci, before winning 3-2 in a shoot-out.

It marked Italy's first European Championship title since 1968 and was the result of Mancini's intelligent rebuilding of the team following their humiliating failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Asked about the tears he shed at full time, Mancini said: "That was the emotion that happens after achieving something incredible, of seeing the guys celebrate, the fans celebrating in the stands.

"It was seeing everything we have managed to create, all of the work we have put in over the last three years, and specifically in the last 50 days, which have been very hard.

"We have got on very well, there have never been issues and the players deserve credit for that. Not just on the pitch, they did a brilliant job there, but I think it is the fact we have been able to forge this team spirit.

"They have created something that can never be separated going forward. They will always be synonymous with this triumph because they have so much respect for one another."

Veteran defender Bonucci, 34, won the Star of the Match award as he picked up his first international honour, nine years after losing the final of Euro 2012 to Spain.

He shouted "It's coming to Rome" at the camera after the game, a response to the "It's coming home" chant popular with England supporters.

"We heard it day in day out since the Denmark game, that the cup would be coming home to London," he said.

"Sorry for them, but actually the cup will be winging its way to Rome and that way Italians all over the world can savour this competition.

"It's for them, it's for us, we have said since day one we believe we can do it. It is only right Italians celebrate in all four corners of the globe tonight."

Bonucci is one of the oldest members of the squad, but youngsters like Player of the Tournament, goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, midfielder Nicolo Barella and winger Federico Chiesa, impressed at Euro 2020 to give hope for a bright future.

The national press agreed. Italy's biggest selling newspaper Corriere della Sera added: "Football is not a metaphor of life, or politics, but the national team always ends up resembling the nation it represents. This past month, Mancini's team has reminded us that being Italian isn't so bad after all."

"It's too beautiful!", proclaimed Italian daily Gazzetta dello Sport, saying: "Italy is the queen of Europe. It knew how to recover a match that seemed lost, as only the greatest teams know how.

"Finally Wembley falls silent, after having whistled, shouted, howled. Every single Italian during those two hours felt like a giant once more".

A fifth World Cup, tying the record held by Brazil, will now be on the radar for the Azzurri at next year's tournament in Qatar.

Bonucci said: "This is a renaissance for Italian football. I'm sure now that this squad and coach will still make plenty of headlines going forward."

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS