Europe’s soccer champions returned residence at daybreak Monday to the ecstatic cheers of Italians who spent the higher a part of the night time honking horns, setting off fireworks and violating all kinds of coronavirus precautions to rejoice Italy’s 3-2 win on penalties over England.
Captain Giorgio Chiellini, his fist pumping within the air, and coach Roberto Mancini hoisted the trophy excessive over their heads as they descended from the Alitalia constitution at Rome’s Leonardo da Vinci airport. Amid cheers from airport employees, defender Leonardo Spinazzola hopped down the steps on one foot, his different one in a forged after he injured his Achilles tendon earlier on within the event.
Scenes as Italy return to Rome pic.twitter.com/WrHftzwlUg
— James Brooke (@jamesvictorb) July 12, 2021
“Grazie Azzurri,” learn the banner on the tarmac — a sentiment felt throughout the nation after Italy took residence its first main trophy for the reason that 2006 World Cup.
The nationwide group was being feted formally by President Sergio Mattarella and Premier Mario Draghi later Monday, joined by Matteo Berrettini, who had given Italians another excuse for delight Sunday by reaching the Wimbledon finals. Berrettini misplaced to Novak Djokovic, however he joined Mattarella at Wembley Stadium to look at the Azzurri end 1-1 after additional time Sunday after which win on penalties.
Victorious Italy soccer gamers return to Rome pic.twitter.com/ff8vEHnnIO
— Futball News (@FutballNews_) July 12, 2021
For Italians, the Championship was a brand new starting for his or her youthful nationwide group and a rustic that’s been craving to return to normalcy after being hit long and hard by the coronavirus pandemic.
A cacophony of honking automobiles, fireworks and singing followers stuffed the night time in Rome as 1000’s of individuals took to the streets. As the solar rose Monday, the noise had died down however not the sentiment.
“It seems to me that this victory is so good for the national spirit because after all that suffering for COVID,” stated Daniela Righino and Italian residing in Uruguay who was again in Rome for the ultimate. “Yesterday was an explosion of joy. I’m happy.”
“It came Rome.” The #Azzurri return to Italy with the Henri Delaunay. #Italian followers give the group a hero’s welcome.
🎥 – Sky Sports pic.twitter.com/7YMl90Ikbe
— uSTADIUM Soccer (@uSTADIUMSoccer) July 12, 2021
Many Italians noticed the European Championship as a relaunch for a rustic that spent a lot of the previous 16 months in varied levels of lockdown. Italy was the primary nation exterior Asia to get hit by the COVID-19 pandemic and suffered immensely, notably within the spring of 2020 when hospitals in northern Italy have been overwhelmed with sufferers and the dying toll soared. Italy has recorded greater than 127,000 COVID deaths, the very best within the 27-nation European Union.
“It’s been a complicated year for everyone but especially for us who were one of the first countries hit. This is a signal of a new beginning,” stated Michela Solfanelli, a 30-year-old occasion producer primarily based in Milan.
Most virus restrictions have been lifted for the reason that spring and those who stay have been largely ignored by the mass of Italy followers who danced within the streets of the capital chanting “we are champions of Europe.”
David Bellomo, a 23-year-old from the southern metropolis of Bari, identified that this was Italy’s second massive victory this 12 months, after Italian band Maneskin received the Eurovision Song Contest in May.
“Thanks to Eurovision and thanks to this game and soccer we’ve managed to come back this year,” he stated. “We almost got a triple,” he added, referring to Matteo Berrettini, the Italian tennis participant who misplaced the Wimbledon last to Novak Djokovic earlier within the day.
Shoulder to shoulder, followers nervously watched the penalty shootout on two massive screens arrange on Piazza del Popolo, an elliptical cobblestone sq. on the fringe of Rome’s historic heart. A deafening roar rose to the sky as Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma saved England’s final penalty.
Among the ocean of blue Italy shirts was an immigrant household from Senegal, who got here from the city of Zagarolo, an hour exterior Rome, to expertise the ultimate with the group within the piazza.
“I am not Italian, but I can feel the emotions. I feel it, as if I were Italian,” stated Falilou Ndao, 42. “We really love this country.”
His 13-year-old son Yankho, an Italy fan and soccer participant, was impressed by the group.
“They showed courage. They never gave up, even when they were down by a goal,” he stated. “It is so well-deserved. They have been playing great the entire tournament. Go Italy!”
Though persons are nonetheless required to put on masks in crowded conditions, police made no makes an attempt to intervene as throngs of barefaced followers poured of out the piazza, singing the nationwide anthem and lighting flares. Fireworks cracked overhead as followers cruised by town waving Italian flags from their automobiles.
Dr. Annamaria Altomare, a 39-year-old gastroenterologist, watched the spectacle with a pal from a secure distance. They have been among the many few sporting masks.
“We want to avoid the delta variant in this mess,” she stated, laughing.
