After almost a month, 145 goals being the largest number we have ever witnessed in European competition, the 2020 euro festival has come to an end for Italy, winning the championship.
The story of the liberation of Italian football is complete. The bitter half-century patience for England to win a major crown continues. And it's because of the penalty shootout. Italy has won the European Cup - Euro 2020 for the second time after beating England 3-2 on penalties last night. The match ended 1-1 after extra time at Wembley Stadium, which was packed with nearly 60,000 England fans who were all set to celebrate their first international cup since the 1966 World Cup.
It did not come home. Instead, the Italians ruined their celebrations. Coach Gareth Southgate has urged England to use the pain of losing the final and look forward to future success. Southgate has accepted the blame for the publication. Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, and Bukayo Saka all missed their pensions.
England's youngsters got off to a great start though Luke Shaw's second-minute goal but Italy showed their prowess and equalized through Leonardo Bonucci in the second half.
When it came to penalty kicks, Southgate played his cards by bringing in the last-minute Rashford and Sancho mainly because of their penalty shootout ability. The move hit the wall. Southgate has said he should be blamed because he was the one who selected the penalty shooters.
Southgate has admitted that his youngsters were unstable on the ball something that allowed the Italians to regain control after Shaw's goal. He said in the second half they did not own enough ball.
While Southgate highlighted their weaknesses, Roberto Mancini said watching three years of hard work bear fruit with this championship brought tears to his eyes. Italy won their last European Cup in 1968, and it is Mancini's best job to rebuild the squad after failing to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
From Gigi to Gigio
From Gigi to Gigio, Italy still has a goalkeeper to rely on. Fifteen years after Gianluigi Buffon helped Italy win the World Cup on penalties, Gianluigi Donnarumma did the same against England in the Euro final. Donnarumma saved two penalties for Saka and Sancho.
The 22-year-old Donnarumma, who is moving to Paris Saint-Germain next season, has been named Euro 2020 Player of the Year, becoming the first goalkeeper in the history of the competition to be awarded the award.
And after ENGLAND was overthrown by Italy, the Football Association of England - FA issued a statement earlier today condemning racist remarks made on social media following yesterday's post. England players Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, and Bukayo Saka, all of whom are black, lost their penalties.
The FA has said it will do everything possible to stand up for the affected players and encourage tougher penalties for anyone involved.
