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ITALY 2020 EURO CHAMPIONS 1

INSIDE

ITALY 2020 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS COLLECTORS EDITION 04

FROM APOCALYPSE TO OLIMPICO

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2020 EURO CHAMPIONS

10

ROAD TO GLORY

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THE ITALIAN COME-BACK JOB

18

CHIELLINI & BONUCCI

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A STAR FOR CLUB & COUNTRY

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EURO FEST 2020

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THE BEST OF THE BEST

2 2020 EURO CHAMPIONS ITALY

How Italy Rose From the Bottom How Did They Do It?

A Game-By-Game Breakdown of the Azzurri’s Path How Mancini Won the Euro The Heart of the Azzurri Jorginho, the Star

The Recap of This Summer’s Tournament The Standouts of Euro 2020

MAGAZINE

SOCCER360

TM

EDITOR Steven Davies

EDITORIAL DIRECTORS Andrew Tuft Rob Paton ASSISTANT EDITOR Nick Calabretta ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Bill Asaro GRAPHIC DESIGN Gary Robinson Nick Libertucci

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HISTORY MAKERS

44

SERIE A STRENGTH

48

MORE THAN A GAME

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56

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CONTRIBUTERS Susy Campanale, Luca Cetta, Oli Coates, Alex Mott, Luca Persico, Andrew Tuft, Marco D’Onofrio, Gaby McKay

The Players that Brought Glory Back to Rome

PHOTOGRAPHY EPA, Action Images, Dale MacMillan, ISI Photos, FIGC

Serie A’s Presence Inside Euro 2020

MARKETING DIRECTOR Mario Calabretta

The Developing Sidebars That Happened Off the Pitch

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT Dale Evans

LEGENDARY AZZURRI

SUBSCRIPTIONS 1.877.710.4858 subscriptions@soccer360magazine.com

The Quotes, Celebrations, & Did-You-Know Fun Facts

PRINTED IN CANADA All rights reserved. Reproduction of this issue in whole or in part without permission is strictly prohibited

LAST WORD

The Italian Defence School is Closed

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ICONIC AZZURRI

Italy’s European Championship History

SOCCER360 SPECIAL EDITION PUBLISHED BY DIRECT IMAGE MEDIA 3938 Cotrelle Blvd. Suite 80095, Brampton, Ontario, Canada L6P 2W7

COVER PHOTO: The Azzurri celebrate following their penalty shoot-out victory against England on July 11th, 2021

ITALY 2020 EURO CHAMPIONS 3

2020 EURO CHAMPIONS

L FFICIA IGNEO S IN , R A T O @L GNA TA, SO FIN U L O V A È RAT DESIDENDO DA QUA INO MI Z RAGAZMENTAVO R O ADD POGLIATOI I S NEGLI I ALLENARM D A PRIM

FROM THE APOCALYPSE

TO THE OLIMPICO AS ITALY BANISHED SOME SIGNIFICANT DEMONS TO WIN EURO 2020, GABY MCKAY TAKES A LOOK AT HOW IT ALL STARTED FOR THE AZZURRI ON THEIR ROAD TO REDEMPTION

W

hen then FIGC President Carlo Tavecchio was asked in September 2017 about the prospect of Italy not qualifying for the World Cup, he replied simply: “it would be the apocalypse.”

Two months later, in front of a packed San Siro, Azzurri players lay sprawled on the turf. Legendary goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon raised his hands, tears in his eyes, by way of apology to the supporters.

Coach Gian Piero Ventura disappeared down the tunnel while newspapers decried a national shame. Italy had missed out for the first time in 60 years. Apocalypse now.

Ventura, of course, could not survive.

Despite public clamour for Carlo Ancelotti, the man chosen as the next commissario tecnico was Roberto Mancini, whose first task was to lead the Azzurri through three salt-in-the-wound summer friendlies. Mighty oaks from little acorns grow, and it turns out European champions grow from 2-1 friendly wins over Saudi Arabia with Domenico Criscito at left-back.

4 2020 EURO CHAMPIONS ITALY

Italy fell back in love with it’s national team

“IT WOULD BE THE RISE TO THE OLIMPICO.”

Publicly Mancini and his players played down expectations

first word from Bad to best

The Azzurri came through a tough test against Bosnia

Domenico Criscito was left-back when Mancini won his first Italian Friendly

‘THE DELAY TO THE TOURNAMENT ARGUABLY HELPED MANCINI’S SIDE’ Italy’s World Cup failure was described as a national shame

Rebuilding after the apocalypse was never going to be easy, and Mancini’s first competitive games brought just one win in four. However, the former Inter boss was quietly laying the foundations for what would be a triumphant team.

His first win came away at Poland, and while it may have taken a 92nd-minute Cristiano Biraghi winner, only Juventus goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny kept it close. Mancini’s vision became apparent on that night in Chorzow. Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini formed a formidable barrier in front of Gianluigi Donnarumma, while ahead of them Jorginho, Marco Verratti and Nicola Barella kept Poland on the run. With Lorenzo Insigne on the left and Federico Chiesa on the right, this was the base upon which Mancini would build. A 0-0 draw with Portugal put paid to any hope of making the Nations League finals, but with a fairly straightforward Euro 2020 qualification group, post-apocalyptic Italy had time to build back better.

A 2-0 victory over Finland to open the group was followed up by a 6-0 thrashing of Liechtenstein and a comfortable 3-0 win against Greece.

Though it was just the fourth game, a clash with Bosnia and Herzegovina in Turin already had the feel of a decider. Let’s not forget though what had happened the last time the Azzurri faced such a fixture. A heroic Bonucci block

stopped Bosnia from opening the scoring, before the visitors put together a stunning move that culminated in Edin Dzeko tapping home. Italy went into the break 1-0 down, and the discontent was palpable from the stands.

As we’d see repeatedly though, this Italy was made differently to Ventura’s fragile outfit.

Mancini’s men kept playing, kept moving the ball around, and began to dominate. Insigne equalized with a stunning volley and Verratti passed in a late winner. With 12 points from 12, qualification was basically in the bag.

Italy went on to win every match in their group, signing off with a swaggering 9-1 win over Armenia in Palermo - and then the world ended for real.

The Covid-19 pandemic, which hit Italy early and hard, saw the globe grind to a standstill. Euro 2020 was pushed back a year, and the national team wouldn’t be back together for almost 10 months.

However, it can be argued that the delay and a condensed calendar helped Mancini’s side.

They soon found their groove again, winning their Nations League group to advance to the finals, which will be held in Italy later this year.

The likes of Chiesa and Manuel Locatelli enjoyed breakthrough seasons in 2020-21, coming into the rescheduled tournament in the form of their lives.

With their first three Euro 2020 matches to be played in Rome, there was excitement around Italy once again. Publicly, Mancini and his players talked down expectations, speaking of reaching the quarter-finals.

Privately, the Azzurri felt getting to the final four in London was realistic.

Outside of the Bel Paese, the Azzurri’s chances weren’t rated as highly. The absence of a big name like Alessandro Del Piero or Francesco Totti had those who don’t watch much Serie A claiming it wasn’t a vintage Italy team. Bookmakers were offering odds as long as 9/1 on Mancini’s men. Finally, a year late, on a warm June night in Rome it was time to go. Andrea Bocelli serenaded the Stadio Olimpico with Nessun Dorma. A tiny car took the ball on to the pitch. A nation belted out the anthem. The journey that began with the apocalypse began in earnest.

ITALY 2020 EURO CHAMPIONS 5

2020 EURO CHAMPIONS

2020EURO CHAMPIONS FROM WORLD CUP FAILURE TO EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS, ITALY CAME ROARING BACK FROM THEIR LOWEST POINT TO WIN THIS SUMMER’S EURO 2020. HOW DID THEY DO IT? MICHELLE OSEI BONSU TAKES A LOOK

6 2020 EURO CHAMPIONS ITALY

2020 euro champions

‘ ITALY BECAME THE FIFTH SIDE TO GO THROUGH THE GROUP STAGE WITHOUT CONCEDING A GOAL’

H

eading into Euro 2020, many pundits had earmarked Belgium and France as the heavy favourites to feature in the showpiece final at Wembley on July 11.

Portugal were also thrown into the mix, predominantly because of Cristiano Ronaldo’s presence, whilst some were willing to take a punt on England after the Three Lions’ impressive run at the 2018 World Cup. Plus, Gareth Southgate’s side had the benefit of playing nearly all of their matches in London. Even Spain were considered contenders, despite La Roja being a far cry from the team who dominated the international scene from 2008 to 2012.

Not many were sold on Italy, however. Although some believed the Azzurri had what it took to go all the way, most were dismissive of Roberto Mancini’s side. That’s despite Italy, like Belgium, coming into the competition having won all 10 of their qualifying matches. Yet unlike the Red Devils, the Azzurri had actually won major international titles before, including the European Championship in 1968.

Indeed, it seemed like Italy’s failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup was a sticking point for most people. For the four-time world champions, losing in the play-offs to Sweden in 2017 was their nadir, as many Azzurri fans weren’t even born the last time they missed out on the World Cup back in

1958. Then there were those who expressed concern about the team’s strikers, singling out players like Ciro Immobile and Lorenzo Insigne, who consistently delivered for their respective clubs Lazio and Napoli, but hadn’t exactly set the world alight for their country.

Still, these doubts didn’t seem to bother Italy or coach Mancini much. The former forward was appointed commissario tecnico on May 14, 2018. Four months after taking over, the Azzurri’s FIFA ranking dropped to 21. That was the lowest ever position for a country traditionally considered among the world’s elite. Yet, it now appears that

ITALY 2020 EURO CHAMPIONS 7

2020 EURO CHAMPIONS

Italy celebrate winning the finals after the penalty shootout

this was exactly the impetus Italy needed to shake themselves out of their funk and get back on track. On September 10, 2018, Andre Silva’s goal was enough to decide a Nations League match in favour of Portugal.

That’s the last time Italy lost.

When they took to the pitch for the Euro 2020 final against England on July 11, Italy had already made history. They were 33 games unbeaten, and in going one further have ensured this team will be talked about for generations to come. The ascent from their lowest point in 2017 to the pinnacle of European football has naturally been a measured process, with Italy benefiting from the lack of expectation, and subsequently pressure, put on their shoulders.

Quietly in the background, as most were focused on whether France would add a European title to their World Cup triumph, or if Belgium - who are ranked number one in the world but have nothing really to show for it in terms of silverware - would finally end their hoodoo, Italy were slowly rebuilding. After a rather uninspiring performance at the inaugural Nations League tournament, they turned their attention towards qualifying for Euro 2020.

Thirteen months after their narrow loss to Portugal, Mancini’s men secured their spot with three games to spare following a 2-0 win over Greece. In winning all 10 of their games, they became only the sixth side in history to achieve this, after France, the Czech Republic, Spain, Germany and England.

Although Euro 2020 ended up being pushed back to 2021 due to Covid-19, it certainly didn’t interrupt Italy’s stride. In fact, it probably helped. The Azzurri finished top in their Nations League group in the interim and will take part in the finals later on this year, while they wasted no time in announcing their intentions at the Euros.

Italy faced Turkey at the Stadio Olimpico in the tournament’s curtain-raiser and after a tense first half, it didn’t take long for them to overwhelm their visitors. The opener was an own goal by Merih Derimal, but it was the efforts from Immobile and Insigne that truly exemplified this new-look Italy side. Their performances went a long way towards

8 2020 EURO CHAMPIONS ITALY

Gianluigi Donnarumma was the hero for Italy in the penalty shootout against England

The whole squad played a part in making history

‘THIS ITALY TEAM WILL BE TALKED ABOUT FOR GENERATIONS TO COME’ boosting both players’ confidence, as the duo responded to the criticism of their international displays.

Meanwhile, Sassuolo’s Manuel Locatelli became a household name thanks to his stunning brace during Italy’s resounding 3-0 victory over Switzerland. The young midfielder was already well known to Serie A fans, but his man of the match performance thrust him into the limelight and sparked interest from clubs across Europe.

Interestingly, Atalanta’s Matteo Pessina ended up being the decisive factor in the Azzurri’s final group game against Wales. He wasn’t initially on the first-choice list and was only added following Stefano Sensi’s injury on June 7.

By the time they took on Austria in the round of 16, Italy had already written their name into European Championship history by becoming just the fifth side to go through the group stage without conceding a goal. England would match that feat two days later, but the Three Lions only scored twice themselves compared to the Azzurri’s haul of seven. Finally, people were starting to take notice of an Azzurri team who still

maintained their staunchly defensive origins, but were also fearsome in attack.

In scenes reminiscent of the 2006 World Cup when two late goals were enough to sink Germany in extra time of their semi-final clash, Italy showed great mettle to dig deep and finally break down a very stubborn and resilient Austria side. Mancini also showed significant tactical nous with two key changes in the second half, bringing on Pessina and Federico Chiesa. Fresh from a solid debut season with Juventus, Chiesa finally broke the deadlock in extra time, followed by Pessina 10 minutes later. Although Austria would end Italy’s 19-hour world record for not conceding a goal soon after, the Azzurri hung on to set up a mouth-watering clash against Belgium.

It was their impressive defeat of the Belgians in the quarter-finals that solidified Italy’s position as contenders for the Euro title. Despite Romelu Lukaku clawing one back, earlier strikes from Nicolo Barella and Insigne were enough to book a tantalizing rematch against Spain in the semis.

AZZURRI DOMINANCE FROM START TO FINISH

Cristiano Ronaldo won the Golden Boot after scoring five goals in four games for Portugal

2020 euro champions

AFTER ITALY ENDED A 53-YEAR WAIT TO TASTE EUROPEAN GLORY, MICHELLE OSEI BONSU RECALLS HOW THE AZZURRI DOMINATED EURO 2020 FROM START TO FINISH

The European Championship began with a bang thanks to the tournament opener featuring Italy and Turkey. After a scoreless first half, the Crescent Stars began to crumble.

This was shown by Merih Derimal’s own goal in the 53rd minute, followed by Ciro Immobile and Lorenzo Insigne both opening their accounts as the Azzurri quickly took control.

The stage was set for what was to come.

During their second match against Switzerland, Italy were at their very best again. Despite the Rossocrociati attempting to block channels and frustrate their hosts with a very conservative, defensive approach, Manuel Locatelli’s brace and Immobile’s goal were enough to give the Azzurri all three points.

The win came at a cost though, as captain Giorgio Chiellini hobbled off injured.

Already into the round of 16 with a game to spare, Roberto Mancini wisely rotated his squad in the last group game against Wales.

Impressively, a team made up of largely second-string players managed to shackle Gareth Bale and co, as Gianluigi Donnarumma became the youngest goalkeeper to keep three consecutive clean sheets at the European Championship.

Austria proved to be a much tougher foe than the Azzurri had expected in the last 16, but two key switches in the second half proved a masterstroke. Prior to this, Federico Chiesa hadn’t had much of an impact, but he took little time in finally making his mark. His goal in extra time gave Italy the breakthrough they needed and was followed by Matteo Pessina’s second. Despite some nervy moments late on, Italy were into the quarter-finals.

In the face of such a tough task against the world’s top-ranked team, Italy looked confident and assured throughout. Belgium’s previous win over Portugal was hardly convincing, and with injuries to Eden Hazard and Kevin De Bruyne, the Azzurri showed no signs of intimidation. A strong first-half performance and a measured approach to the second period set up an intriguing semi-final clash with rivals Spain.

La Roja had shown flashes of brilliance, notably putting five past both Slovakia and Croatia, but Italy were more than up to the task. They didn’t let Alvaro Morata’s answer to Chiesa’s 60th-minute goal ruffle their feathers, and both Donnarumma and Jorginho played their parts in getting Mancini’s men to their first Euro final since losing 4-0 to Spain in 2012.

In the final, the Azzurri showed great fortitude and composure to eventually take down an England side who’d grown throughout the tournament. Like Italy, the Three Lions had been solid at the back, and were under immense pressure to end their 55-year wait for a major title. The Azzurri emerged victorious after a tense penalty shootout, as the European Championship went to Rome.

Romelu Lukaku was unable to prevent Belgium going down 2-1 to Italy

Switzerland had done everyone else a huge favour by beating France on penalties in the round of 16, before they themselves were knocked out in a shootout against Spain. This meant Italy would avoid having to play both tournament favourites en route to the final.

The Azzurri’s victory over Spain on penalties was cathartic for Italian fans, many of whom remembered the painful 4-0 humiliation the team suffered at the hands of La Roja in the Euro 2012 final. Players like Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini were part of the team on that dark day, and after meeting Spain in a fourth consecutive European Championship, Italy exacted the revenge they’d been seeking.

They also set yet another record, this time for the most games unbeaten at the Euros, encompassing both qualifying and the tournament proper.

Finally, on a 16-match unbeaten streak, Italy arrived at the Wembley showpiece on July 11 full of confidence. Against a very hostile and largely English crowd, a goal from an

unlikely source in Bonucci balanced the scores following Luke Shaw’s early effort.

Showing no signs of fatigue after their grueling encounter with Spain just days before, Italy managed to strangle England’s attack, nullifying the likes of Harry Kane and Raheem Sterling to set up another tense shootout. It was goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma who proved to be the hero on the night. The 22-year-old put in a monstrous performance to save efforts from Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka. Italy would have their first European triumph in 53 years, while completely banishing the demons of their humiliating World Cup failure just four years ago.

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2020 EURO CHAMPIONS

ROAD TO GLORY MATCHDAY 1 VS TURKEY (3-0 WIN) FRIDAY JUNE 11, 2021

MATCHDAY 2 VS SWITZERLAND (3-0 WIN) WEDNESDAY JUNE 16, 2021

Italy opened Euro 2020 with a match at home against Turkey, a team many had labeled as a dark horse. Right from the beginning though, it looked like only one team was going to win this game, and that team was Italy. The Azzurri scored three second-half goals, the first time they scored three goals in a Euro match in their history, and announced themselves as early contenders to go all the way. Eight minutes into the second half, Domenico Berardi’s low cross hit Merih Demiral and deflected into the net. 13 minutes later, Immobile pounced on a loose ball and fired past Ugurcan before Insigne added a third, curling in a wonderful strike. Their fluid attacking play caught many eyes as did several of the players. Ultimately it was Leonardo Spinazzola who stood out and earned the Star of the Match award. The left-back put in a wonderful performance coming from deep, taking on his man and causing problems for the defence, a regular occurrence throughout the tournament.

After an impressive performance against Turkey in the first matchday, the Azzurri picked up right where they left off in matchday 2 against the Swiss. In a high-tempo opening that went back and forth, Italy soon took hold of the match and never let go. Chiellini thought he had scored the opening goal in the 19th minute, however his goal was called off for a handball. Things for the captain got worse after, as he later had to leave the pitch due to injury. The loss of their captain though didn’t faze the Italians, as their constant pressure would pay off shortly after. Manuel Locatelli broke the deadlock 26 minutes into the match. Locatelli hit a beautiful left-footed volley pass out to Berardi on the wing and sprinted into the box to tap the ball in from close range. Early in the second half, Locatelli would add another, drilling in a low shot into the bottom corner from outside the box. His two goals and performance would earn him the Star of the Match award. With a few minutes left, Immobile chipped in with his second of the tournament, and Italy’s third of the match, capping off a commanding performance from the Azzurri and securing their spot in the round of 16 with a match to spare.

3 0 1 2 39% 80% 375 301 105.8

GAME STATISTICS 0-3

TOTAL ATTEMPTS 24 ON TARGET 8 OFF TARGET 11 BLOCKED 5 POSSESSION (%) 61% PASSING ACCURACY (%) 87% PASS ATTEMPTS 640 PASSES COMPLETED 555 DISTANCE COVERED (KM) 111.3

GOAL SCORERS Merih Demiral 53’ og Immobile 66’ Insigne 79’

10 2020 EURO CHAMPIONS ITALY

13 3 7 3 49% 85% 544 464 112.4

GAME STATISTICS 3-0

GOAL SCORERS Locatelli 26’, 52’ Immobile 89’

TOTAL ATTEMPTS 6 ON TARGET 1 OFF TARGET 14 BLOCKED 1 POSSESSION (%) 51% PASSING ACCURACY (%) 87% PASS ATTEMPTS 640 PASSES COMPLETED 475 DISTANCE COVERED (KM) 106.0

ITALY’S ROAD TO GLORY MATCHDAY 3 VS WALES (1-0 WIN) SUNDAY JUNE 20, 2021

ROUND OF 16 VS AUSTRIA (2-1 WIN AET) SATURDAY JUNE 26, 2021

With qualification for the round of 16 secured, Roberto Mancini decided it was a good time to rotate his squad, to give some of his starters a rest, but also see what the other players on the squad had to offer. In total, Italy made eight changes to the team and despite all those changes, the result remained the same. A Matteo Pessina goal from a well-worked Marco Verratti free kick was enough to see the Azzurri top the group, perfect on nine points. Verratti’s return from injury was a welcomed sign, but with Locatelli’s recent good form, many wondered who would step into the starting lineup for the next round. As for the match against Wales though, Federico Chiesa was the stand out player, winning the Star of the Match award.

After getting through the group stage with relative ease, Italy faced their toughest test yet in the round of 16 against neighbours Austria.

While Italy started brighter of the two, Austria found their footing in the match and provided a real threat, especially in the second half.

Barella and Immobile provided Italy with the best chances in the first half, the latter hitting the post from a long-range effort. Austria striker Marko Arnautovic put the ball into the net with a nice header in the 65th minute, but the goal was ruled out for offside. A let off for the Azzurri who could have fallen behind twice. The match would end scoreless and need extra-time to decide the winner. Chiesa would eventually give Italy the lead, putting a Spinazzola cross past Konrad Laimer before rifling in a shot. Pessina pounced on a goalmouth scramble to double the Azzurri’s lead 10 minutes later. His goal would prove decisive as the Austrian’s were not going down without a fight, Kalajdzic scoring a diving header with six minutes left of play setting up a tense finale. Star of the Match, Leonardo Spinazzola.

23 6 11 6 63% 92% 603 554 101.3

GAME STATISTICS 1-0

GOAL SCORERS Pessina 39’

TOTAL ATTEMPTS 3 ON TARGET 1 OFF TARGET 2 BLOCKED 0 POSSESSION (%) 37% PASSING ACCURACY (%) 78% PASS ATTEMPTS 270 PASSES COMPLETED 210 DISTANCE COVERED (KM) 97.9

27 6 12 9 52% 88% 692 609 149.4

GAME STATISTICS 2-1

TOTAL ATTEMPTS 16 ON TARGET 3 OFF TARGET 18 BLOCKED 5 POSSESSION (%) 48% PASSING ACCURACY (%) 83% PASS ATTEMPTS 667 PASSES COMPLETED 552 DISTANCE COVERED (KM) 145.3

GOAL SCORERS Chiesa 95’ Pessina 105’ Kalajdzic 114’

ITALY 2020 EURO CHAMPIONS 11

2020 EURO CHAMPIONS QUARTER-FINALS VS BELGIUM (2-1 WIN) FRIDAY JULY 2, 2021

SEMI-FINALS VS SPAIN (1-1, 4-2 PENALTIES) TUESDAY JULY 6, 2021

A quarter-final matchup between two heavyweights, Italy versus Belgium did not disappoint. Bonucci had an early goal ruled out for offside. The Belgians looked to hit Italy on the counter as De Bruyne and Lukaku both tested Donnarumma in goal. Barella would make the breakthrough 31 minutes in, wiggling through two challenges and shooting past Courtois.

Italy’s fluidity was causing problems for Belgium and a few minutes before half-time, Insigne would double their lead with a beautiful curler from the edge of the box. The two goal lead wouldn’t last long though as Di Lorenzo fouled Jeremy Doku, giving Belgium a penalty, which Lukaku converted. The second half saw chances for both sides, Belgium with the better of them, but ultimately there would be no more goals, Italy advance with a 2-1 victory. Star of the Match, Lorenzo Insigne.

A semi-final matchup against rivals Spain, saw Italy start brightly, but Spain ultimately took control of the midfield. The false nine set-up by Spain seemed to cause problems for the Italian defence, and while Spain cut out some clear chances in the first half, their poor finishing let them down. The second half sparked into action with both sides creating chances. Ciro Immobile and Sergio Busquets came close. Chiesa forced a good save from Unai Simon.

Chiesa wouldn’t be denied for much longer, picking up a loose ball on the edge of the box, he cut inside and curled a shot inside the far post to give Italy the 1-0 lead. Spain though responded well to going a goal down, and while Italy had an opportunity to double their lead through Berardi, Morata ultimately leveled the score, the sub finishing off a nice passing move with Olmo. The match finished 1-1 and would need extra time. Italy survived an onslaught of Spanish chances and took the game to penalties. Locatelli saw his penalty saved, while Dani Olmo missed his. Spain’s fourth attempt from Morata was saved by Donnrumma followed up by Jorginho coolly slotting in the winner.

Star of the Match, Federico Chiesa.

10 3 2 5 46% 84% 464 390 106.1

GAME STATISTICS 1-2

TOTAL ATTEMPTS 14 ON TARGET 3 OFF TARGET 7 BLOCKED 4 POSSESSION (%) 54% PASSING ACCURACY (%) 90% PASS ATTEMPTS 549 PASSES COMPLETED 492 DISTANCE COVERED (KM) 112.6

GOAL SCORERS Barella 31’ Insigne 44’ Lukaku 45’+2 (p)

7 4 2 1 35% 76% 418 319 145.6

GOAL SCORERS Chiesa 60’ Morata 80’

12 2020 EURO CHAMPIONS ITALY

GAME STATISTICS 1-1

TOTAL ATTEMPTS 16 ON TARGET 4 OFF TARGET 17 BLOCKED 5 POSSESSION (%) 65% PASSING ACCURACY (%) 89% PASS ATTEMPTS 932 PASSES COMPLETED 832 DISTANCE COVERED (KM) 142.0

FINAL VS ENGLAND (1-1, 3-2 PENALTIES) SUNDAY JULY 11, 2021

ITALY’S ROAD TO GLORY

Wembley against England. Euro 2020 final. Mancini stressed the importance of a good start on the eve of the final. That did not happen. Two minutes into the match, Kieran Trippier hit a nice cross that was met by Shaw on the halfvolley, and just like that England were up 1-0. The fans, who were already in good voice, got even louder. Italy were stunned and England were closing in on a second. However, the Azzurri showed their resolve and regrouped well, slowly gaining a foothold on the match. England sat back trying to absorb the Italian pressure, and successfully did in the first half, maintaining their 1-0 lead. Italy dominated the play, but lacked that final pass and shot. Chiesa came closest with a shot just wide before the break. The second-half was more the same, with the adjustments made from Mancini providing that little bit more of an edge. In the 67th minute, Italy’s pressure would pay off. Berardi’s corner caused problems as Verratti’s header was pushed onto the post by Jordan Pickford before Bonucci tapped in the loose ball to equalize. Italy kept coming, but England held on. 90 minutes was not enough to settle this match, and neither was extra time, so for the second match in succession, Italy were headed to penalties. Pickford would save Belotti’s penalty and crucially, to keep England alive, Jorginho’s as well. But, that was not enough, as Rashford struck the post, before Donnarumma saved both Sancho’s and Saka’s penalties to crown Italy, Champions of Europe. Star of the Match, Leonardo Bonucci.

20 6 9 5 61% 91% 836 758 144.6

GAME STATISTICS 1-1

TOTAL ATTEMPTS 6 ON TARGET 1 OFF TARGET 4 BLOCKED 1 POSSESSION (%) 39% PASSING ACCURACY (%) 78% PASS ATTEMPTS 436 PASSES COMPLETED 340 DISTANCE COVERED (KM) 143.3

GOAL SCORERS Shaw 2’ Bonucci 67’

ITALY 2020 EURO CHAMPIONS 13

THE ITALIAN COMEBACK JOB 2020 EURO CHAMPIONS

HOW ROBERTO MANCINI LED ITALY TO EURO 2020 GLORY

AFTER ITALY SUFFERED ARGUABLY THEIR BIGGEST EMBARRASSMENT ON THE INTERNATIONAL STAGE JUST A FEW YEARS AGO, DAN ROBERTS ASSESSES HOW ROBERTO MANCINI TURNED IT ROUND FOR THE AZZURRI

14 2020 EURO CHAMPIONS ITALY

magical MANCINI

‘WHEN MANCINI TOOK OVER HE STATED THAT HIS FIRST PRIORITY WAS TO WIN THE EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP’

W

Photo courtesy of Esquire Magazine

hen Italy failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, it was a national humiliation and probably the lowest point for the Azzurri since 1966.

But in three short years, Italy have catapulted back onto the international stage and are now champions of Europe. Roberto Mancini’s appointment as head coach is a major factor, but just how did he lift the side to win their first trophy since 2006?

If Italy beat Bulgaria in their World Cup qualification game in September, Roberto Mancini will have overseen a new record for games unbeaten. He has been in charge for that entire 34-game period, starting slowly with just one win in his first six matches. But there is a genuine feeling that Italy could now go on to make even more history by winning the World Cup in Qatar next year.

Mancini began by installing a backroom staff that he knew he could trust. Members of the Sampdoria side he played with are very visible in the group, and it is that kind of togetherness and team spirit that was very evident on the pitch at Euro 2020. He has fostered a club-style feeling within the Azzurri squad and it has beaten the very best in the world.

Unfairly criticized as a coach that concentrated on not losing rather than winning while at Manchester City, Mancini has become more confident with the players at his disposal in the national setup. Many fans not used to Italy’s recent performances were surprised how attacking the team was during Euro 2020, but even seasoned Mancini watchers must have been impressed with how much he allowed his players to push forward.

When Mancini took over he stated that his first priority was to win the European Championship. Italy had not won the tournament since 1968 – and had not won any major trophy since the World Cup in 2006 – but the humiliation of not qualifying for Russia meant that he had to aim high.

It could be argued that if Euro 2020

ITALY 2020 EURO CHAMPIONS 15

Roberto Mancini led Inter to three straight Scudettos between 2006 and 2008

2020 EURO CHAMPIONS Marcello Lippi was the last man to win a trophy as Italy coach, leading the Azzurri to success at the 2006 World Cup

Italy’s success is all the more impressive given the humiliation of failing to qualify for Russia 2018

Roberto Mancini and Gianluca Vialli were teammates at Sampdoria for eight years

had been played when it was originally scheduled, Mancini might have had a tougher time in fulfilling his prophecy.

Giorgio Chiellini and Marco Verratti would have missed the tournament completely and a number of other important players would’ve also been absent. Integral performers at Euro 2020 such as Domenico Berardi, Manuel Locatelli and Federico Chiesa were either not part of the setup or only used as mere squad members.

Mancini used the year delay wisely, bringing the squad closer together and stretching the unbeaten record from 14 to 27 games.

In June 2020, when the tournament was originally set to begin, Italy had not played any tough opponents thanks to a favourable qualifying campaign. But by the time 2021 came around there had been a plethora of impressive results against the likes of the Netherlands and Poland. Lorenzo Insigne and Nicolo Barella had enjoyed career-best seasons at club level, and the Italian national side benefited from a group of players all improving at the same time.

Italy laid down the gauntlet in the opening game of Euro 2020, following an emotional

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pre-match performance of Nessun Dorma by Andrea Bocelli, to comprehensively beat Turkey 3-0 in Rome’s Stadio Olimpico. Some pundits were already saying that Italy might be able to go all the way, and the Azzurri went on to complete a 100% group stage with wins over Switzerland and Wales, scoring seven and not conceding a single goal.

Mancini’s tactic of using Verratti and Jorginho to dictate the game in the middle, with Insigne playing wide made Italy an attacking force to be reckoned with. Even the somewhat disappointing performances from Ciro Immobile couldn’t take away from Italy’s march to the knockout stage.

A tough battle with Austria in the round of 16 was navigated well, before a scintillating display against world number one Belgium in the quarterfinals. Mancini continued to draw the best out of a 4-3-3 formation and saw his team take a two-goal lead against one of the favourites for the trophy.

Even a potentially confidence-sapping goal in first-half stoppage time could not slow down this team.

Mancini instructed his players to be a little more conservative in the semi-final against a Spain side that had dominated possession in all of their previous games at Euro 2020. But, once again,

Italy took the lead before eventually proving their mental fortitude by beating Luis Enrique’s side on penalties.

Italy had enjoyed home advantage for their group games, but moved on to Munich and London for the knockout rounds. Mancini told his players that they had nothing to fear playing England in their own national stadium in the final. Footage of his pre-match team talk has been widely shared on social media showing Mancini calmly going through the team and then effectively sending his players out with a simple message of them knowing who they are and what they have to do.

Although there would have undoubtedly been more said to the squad before the Euro 2020 final, the clip succinctly sums up how effective his management style is.

Going a goal down to the hosts within two minutes would not have been part of the plan, of course. But there was no panic shown. It was the first time Italy had trailed in the entire tournament, but they kept on attempting to break down the English defence. In the end it was actually Mancini’s inspired substitutions that did the trick. Bringing Berardi on for an ineffective Immobile gave the side the width it needed – and Leonardo Bonucci pounced at a corner to

MANCIO @ROBY Y, NEW TROPH “NEW FILE PIC ” PRO

THE MEN WHO CAME BEFORE MANCINI

AS ROBERTO MANCINI BECOMES THE FIRST ITALY COACH TO WIN A MAJOR TROPHY SINCE 2006, DAN ROBERTS CASTS HIS EYE OVER WHICH MANAGERS HAVE BEEN IN THE HOT SEAT SINCE THAT WORLD CUP TRIUMPH.

LUIGI DI BIAGIO

magical MANCINI

Italy coach Roberto Mancini has returned the Azzurri to the pinnacle of European football

This tenure was only ever going to be a temporary fix after the humiliation of Italy’s failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup. As caretaker manager, Di Biagio was in charge for just two friendlies against Argentina and England, after stepping up from the Azzurri under-21 set up.

GIAN PIERO VENTURA Ventura’s managerial career stretches all the way back to the 1970s, but his time in charge of the national side ended with failure to qualify for Russia 2018 – the first time Italy had missed out in 60 years. His record as coach was actually not that bad though, losing just three times in 16 games.

ANTONIO CONTE After a highly successful stint at Juventus, Conte took over as Italy manager in 2014 with eyes on the European Championship two years later. But by the time that tournament came around, Conte had already confirmed he would step down after Italy’s exit – one that eventually came at the quarter-final stage.

CESARE PRANDELLI The longest-serving Azzurri manager since the late 1980s, Prandelli initially did well, taking Italy to the final of Euro 2012. But a 4-0 thrashing at the hands of Spain began a poor run of form that saw his side fail to get out of the group at the 2014 World Cup.

MARCELLO LIPPI Considered one of the most successful coaches of all time, Lippi had already led Italy to World Cup glory in 2006 when he returned for a second time in 2008. His tactic of selecting veterans for the 2010 World Cup ended in failure though, when Italy finished bottom of their group.

ultimately score the equalizer.

Donnarumma’s nerve held in the penalty shootout – even after Andrea Belotti and the usually unshakable Jorginho missed their spot kicks – and the Euro 2020 trophy was won.

Mancini had always said that he had 26 starting players in his squad and he was able to use most of them effectively to change the course of games throughout the tournament. Mancini even gave back up goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu some minutes at the end of the group game against Wales, as he remembered how devastated he had been not getting on the pitch as a squad player at the 1990 World Cup. That example of team

‘IF ITALY BEAT BULGARIA IN SEPTEMBER, ROBERTO MANCINI WILL HAVE OVERSEEN A NEW RECORD FOR GAMES UNBEATEN’

spirit and empathy is perhaps one of the most important factors when it comes to explaining how Mancini won Euro 2020 and returned Italy to the pinnacle of European football.

2020 EURO CHAMPIONS

LLINI @CHIE LA ENDO “SEGU NE DI UN IO TRADIZE MAESTRO ” GRANDCANNAVARO @FABIO

AND

CHIELLINI BONUCCI THE HEART OF THE AZZURRI

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Not only did Chiellini and Bonucci bring experience to the pitch, but their calmness off it was motivational

bonucci and chiellini

FOLLOWING LEONARDO BONUCCI AND GIORGIO CHIELLINI’S STELLAR PERFORMANCES AT EURO 2020, MARCO D’ONOFRIO DISCUSSES HOW THE AZZURRI’S VETERAN DYNAMIC DEFENSIVE DUO HELPED ITALY WIN THEIR FIRST EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP SINCE 1968

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hen Leonardo Bonucci was snapped up by Juventus on July 1, 2010 from Bari in a deal worth €15.5m, Giorgio Chiellini had been with the Bianconeri for five seasons already. The Old Lady had just finished a disappointing seventh place in the Serie A standings and were looking to make significant steps forward.

The 2010-11 season didn’t go much better for Juventus, but in January they managed to sign Andrea Barzagli, which eventually helped turn the club’s fortunes around. Antonio Conte was named head coach ahead of the 2011-2012 campaign and he quickly put into place the Barzagli-Bonucci-Chiellini defensive partnership known affectionately as the BBC. Cesare Prandelli’s Italy side would take full advantage of Juve’s success, as the tactician opted to start Bonucci and Chiellini in the group stage games of Euro 2012, after Barzagli suffered an injury prior to the tournament. The veteran would eventually return though to earn a place in Prandelli’s starting XI alongside both Bonucci and Chiellini. Italy went all the way to the final, before losing 4-0 to Spain. Chiellini only managed to play 20 minutes in the final before being replaced by Federico Balzaretti, as the defender was dealing with a thigh injury that he had picked up earlier in the competition.

Although Bonucci briefly left for Milan at the start of the 2017-18 season and Barzagli retired at the end of the following campaign, the BBC were a massive part in the rebuilding of Juventus and their nine successive Scudetti between 2012 and 2020.

Much like Juve back in 2010, the Azzurri were also a side devoid of any ideas and struggling to match the successes of their historical past when Roberto Mancini was named head coach on May 18, 2018. The country had just failed to qualify for the World Cup and were going through an identity crisis before Mancini arrived and changed everything.

After Italy’s 0-0 draw against Sweden that saw them eliminated from the World Cup before the tournament had even started, Chiellini announced he would be retiring from international football along with a generation of greats that included Barzagli, Gianluigi Buffon and Daniele De Rossi.

“I don’t know if Italy will go again with Chiellini, the team will start again with a lot of guys born in the 1990s,” the experienced defender said immediately after the match. “In the end, we deserved to go out.”

Mancini managed to convince Chiellini that his country still needed him though and that he could play a valuable part in helping to mold the

“THE KEY WAS ALWAYS TO PLAY FOOTBALL AND ENJOY OURSELVES” ITALY 2020 EURO CHAMPIONS 19

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THE FUTURE OF THE AZZURRI

WITH THOUGHTS ALREADY TURNING TOWARDS NEXT YEAR’S WORLD CUP IN QATAR, MARCO D’ONOFRIO TAKES A GLIMPSE INTO WHAT THE FUTURE OF THE AZZURRI DEFENCE WILL LOOK LIKE

Alessandro Bastoni is an important asset to the future of the Azzurri

EO19 UCCI_L N O B @ UIAMO ONTIN RE C I O N “ GIA A MAN TA… E VOI?” T IU C S PASTA

future of the Azzurri. The rest is history.

With Chiellini and Bonucci remaining in the heart of defence for Mancini’s side, the Azzurri have been on a magical ride that has seen them pull off a 34-game unbeaten run stretching back to September 10, 2018, when they last lost against Portugal in the UEFA Nations League.

Mancini had not only persuaded Chiellini to stay, he also managed to make a team that had reached rock bottom just months before believe they could actually win a major tournament. “At the beginning, when he told us to have in our minds the idea of winning the Euros, we thought he was crazy,” Chiellini has revealed.

As absurd as the idea sounded, Mancini really did believe that he had the men at his disposal to make it happen. His side was one that mixed veterans like Bonucci and Chiellini with young stars like Federico Chiesa and Nicolo Barella.

Not only did Bonucci and Chiellini bring experience on the pitch, but their calmness off it was motivational. Who could ever forget the image of Chiellini smiling from ear to ear during the coin toss prior to the penalty shootout in the Euro 2020 semi-finals against Spain? Ahead of one of the biggest moments of his career, the

20 2020 EURO CHAMPIONS ITALY

Bonucci and Chiellini celebrate over lunch.

36-year-old looked to be having the time of his life. The same could not be said of his counterpart Jordi Alba, who looked as serious as ever. Chiellini stood joking as Alba continued to be unamused, perhaps even intimidated.

“We had to say which side to take the penalties and he made a mistake in the decision, I made him notice jokingly,” Chiellini said with regard to the interaction between the two.

Italy went on to score four of five penalties, with Bonucci contributing from the spot to help his team advance to the final against England.

Bonucci had no issues stepping up and burying a penalty against England at Wembley either.

While it all worked out in the end, Azzurri fans were understandably concerned about whether Chiellini’s body would hold up for the duration of the tournament. He only managed to appear in 17 Serie A games for Juventus last season and was forced out of Italy’s second fixture of Euro 2020 against Switzerland in just the 24th minute.

Flashes of the 2012 tournament started to appear in supporters’ minds as they wondered whether Chiellini had possibly played his last game.

Lazio’s Francesco Acerbi stepped up admirably to fill the void and help the Azzurri navigate

Although fans of the Azzurri continue to gush over the performances of Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini this summer, the reality is that the two of them have a combined age of 70. The defensive duo have been brilliant for club and country, but both Juventus and Italy need to start preparing for the future as well.

While Roberto Mancini had the 33-year-old Francesco Acerbi come in to replace Chiellini when he went down against Switzerland, the Azzurri coach still has an eye towards who could potentially be his dynamic duo’s successors.

The tactician not only ensured Inter’s 22-yearold centre-back Alessandro Bastoni gained some invaluable experience by being included in the squad, but he also went as far as to give him a start as well. In Italy’s final group stage game against Wales, Bastoni had the opportunity to play alongside Bonucci and helped the Azzurri keep a clean sheet.

That was a wonderful opportunity that will certainly help him in high-pressure situations going forward.

It’s easy to think that Bastoni’s inclusion may have come at the cost of Alessio Romagnoli’s exclusion, but the 26-year-old wasn’t even named in Mancini’s 33-man preliminary squad.

Romagnoli may be the captain of Milan, but he often struggled to get into Stefano Pioli’s starting XI and only managed to start in 21 league games for the Rossoneri last year.

Despite his recent woes though, he could be a stalwart for both club and country if he manages to find his peak form again.

The 25-year-old Gianluca Mancini was included in the preliminary squad, but was cut prior to the start of the tournament in favour of Atalanta’s Rafael Toloi. While the Roma defender was undoubtedly left heartbroken, he should still have a bright future ahead of him. The Azzurri have a plethora of candidates potentially capable of eventually replacing Bonucci and Chiellini, but only time will tell who will be Italy’s next great centre-back.

bonucci and chiellini

GREAT ITALIAN DEFENSIVE PARTNERSHIPS OF THE PAST MARCO D’ONOFRIO GOES BACK IN TIME TO LOOK AT A COUPLE OF THE GREATEST AZZURRI DEFENSIVE PARTNERSHIPS IN HISTORY

Even in broken English, the emotion felt by Giorgio Chiellini moments after winning Euro 2020 was clear. “We feel inside to come in Wembley, it’s too difficult but I’m so happy, more than happy,” the captain said. “We’ve seen the image of [Fabio] Cannavaro and now we are lucky altogether.”

Ingrained in his head was the image of the Azzurri’s last captain to win a trophy, also a brave centre-back capable of weathering even the most intense of storms, Fabio Cannavaro.

The Italians entered the World Cup in 2006 with two of the best defenders in the world at the heart of their rear-guard, as Cannavaro lined up next to Milan’s Alessandro Nesta. The pair helped Italy keep a clean sheet against Ghana in the opening match, before Nesta suffered an injury in the final group game of the competition that would keep him out for the remainder of the tournament.

Much like Francesco Acerbi did when Chiellini went down this past summer, Marco Materazzi stepped up to the plate and filled the void.

With Materazzi playing beside Cannavaro, the Italians put on a defensive masterclass that is still talked about to this day.

Materazzi not only contributed defensively, he also scored in the final to tie the game up against France, much like Bonucci did against England. The Inter legend would also go on to make history when he provoked Zinedine Zidane’s infamous headbutt in extra time.

In 1994, Italy came painfully short of lifting the most important trophy on the planet, but they may have had their greatest defensive partnership ever. In the heart of Arrigo Sacchi’s defence were Milan icons Franco Baresi and Paolo Maldini.

Baresi replaced Giuseppe Bergomi as captain of the Azzurri and nearly led them to the Promised Land, had it not been for an ill-fated penalty shootout against Brazil that the Italians still do not like to talk about.

Along with Cannavaro, Materazzi proved to be an integral peice of Italy’s 2006 glory

The last time Italy lifted a major trophy, Fabio Cannavaro led the team from the back and went on to win the Ballon d’Or

The 36-year-old Giorgio Chiellini was having the time of his life throughout the tournament

past Switzerland, Wales and Austria to reach the quarter-finals. However, with Romelu Lukaku and Belgium on the horizon, Mancini knew he needed his captain back in the starting line-up.

In a momentous return, Chiellini helped tame Lukaku as the Italians beat the Belgians for the second European Championship in a row, but this time it was to book their place in the semi-final.

And when they were needed the most, Bonucci and Chiellini delivered.

What they managed to accomplish in the final two games of the tournament against Spain and England is nothing short of remarkable. The duo not only put on a clinic defensively, they managed to contribute offensively as well. Chiellini rolled back the years to make inspirational runs forward, while Bonucci found the back of the net in the final when his country had their backs up against the wall in hostile territory.

The pair had cemented their legacies in Turin long ago, but they both became heroes to an entire nation this summer. “The key was always to play football and enjoy ourselves,” Chiellini declared after winning the tournament. Enjoy themselves they did.

Leonardo Bonucci came up big at both ends of the pitch when his country needed him most

Roberto Mancini managed to convince Giorgio Chiellini to continue playing with the Azzurri and was rewarded for his efforts

“WE DID IT, AND WE HAD FUN!”

2020 EURO CHAMPIONS

JORGINHO: BRILLIANT IN BLUE

Jorginho was one of Italy’s best players as the Azzurri won this summer’s Euro 2020

A STAR FOR CLUB AND COUNTRY IN THE SPACE OF JUST TWO YEARS, JORGINHO HAS GONE FROM CHELSEA FANS’ SCAPEGOAT TO A BALLON D’OR CONTENDER. GREG MURRAY EXPLORES THE REGISTA’S RENAISSANCE.

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JORGINHO SPOTLIGHT

DID YOU KNOW Jorginho was born in Imbituba in the Brazilian state of Santa Cata rina but moved to Italy at the age of 15.

He is of Italian descent through his paternal great-grandfather Giac omo Frello who is from Lusiana, Vene to, and thus earned Italian citizenship as a result.

JORGINHO FACTFILE NAME: Jorge Luiz Frello Filho BORN: December 20, 1991 (Brazil) HT / WT: 1.80m / 68kg POSITION: Midfielder CLUB: Chelsea

‘ JORGINHO LED ITALY DURING THE EURO 2020 GROUP STAGES FOR TACKLES AND INTERCEPTIONS ’

CLUB STATS SEASON CLUB APPS GLS 2011-12 H. Verona 30 2 2012-13 H. Verona 41 2 2013-14 H. Verona 18 7 2013-14 Napoli 15 0 2014-15 Napoli 23 0 2015-16 Napoli 35 0 2016-17 Napoli 27 0 2017-18 Napoli 33 2 2018-19 Chelsea 37 2 2019-20 Chelsea 31 4 2020-21 Chelsea 28 7 INTERNATIONAL STATS YEAR APPS GOALS 2016 2 0 2017 1 0 2018 10 1 2019 9 3 2020 5 1 2021 8 0

ITALY 2020 EURO CHAMPIONS 23

2020 EURO CHAMPIONS

S

ince signing for Chelsea in the summer of 2018, it has not been an easy ride for Jorginho. A vast transfer fee, reported to be £51.3m, and a frustrating first season at Stamford Bridge saw the midfielder rapidly lose the support of Blues fans.

Criticisms ranged from slowing down play, to not having the required physicality for a defensive midfield role. For the most part, however, the boos that rang out on the terrace had aligned Jorginho to Maurizio Sarri. Despite ultimately securing the Blues a Europa League title and top-four finish, the possession-based Sarri-ball failed to win over viewers in the UK. Jorginho was viewed as the personification of the tactics: providing style over substance.

Having followed Sarri to west London, many were therefore surprised when Jorginho decided against returning to Italy with the manager. This confusion remained after Frank Lampard, signed almost as the antithesis to Sarri, maintained his predecessor’s faith in Jorginho.

Out from under the shadow of his former Napoli boss, Jorginho started rebuilding his reputation as a valuable midfielder.

The regista remained the first name on the team sheet under Lampard, whilst Roberto Mancini kept his faith in the Brazil-born Italy international throughout the Azzurri’s Euro 2020 qualifying campaign and Nations League matches.

With fans and commentators alike coming around to his contributions on the pitch, Jorginho’s true moment of renaissance has come in the past six months. Italy’s dominant run to win Euro 2020 and Chelsea’s triumphant Champions League campaign saw the midfielder play a key role in two of the world’s key football competitions and has put him in contention for the Ballon d’Or. So, what has changed that the football community now recognizes Jorginho as up there with the likes of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Robert Lewandowski for the game’s top individual prize?

The easy answer would be that Jorginho is currently playing in two systems that are built to suit his capabilities. At Napoli, the entire build-up play ran through him with Sarri-ball circumventing his defensive limitations by heavily dominating possession. Roberto Mancini’s Italy and Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea have taken a slightly different, but equally effective, approach to getting the most out of their regista.

Safe in the knowledge that neither Giorgio Chiellini nor Leonardo Bonucci have the legs to play a high defensive line, Mancini fielded a lower-lying defence with Jorginho patrolling just in front of them. With no space to run in behind him, the limited pace of Italy’s No 8 was rarely exposed.

He was used as a disruptive force with two experienced defenders sweeping just behind him. As a result, Jorginho, who for so long had a reputation as a defensive midfielder with little defensive capability, led Italy during the group stages for tackles

24 2020 EURO CHAMPIONS ITALY

Jorginho was also a key figure for Chelsea, helping the Blues win their second Champions League title

GLI ORIUNDI

THERE IS A LONG HISTORY OF ITALY INTERNATIONALS BORN OUTSIDE OF THE PENINSULA, DATING BACK ALMOST 100 YEARS TO THE EARLY DAYS OF THE NATIONAL TEAM…

Raphael Toloi, right, is one of the three Azzurri players who were born in Brazil

N’Golo Kante’s presence in the Chelsea team has eased the defensive burden on Jorginho

Maurizio Sarri took Jorginho with him from Napoli to Chelsea in 2018

Jorginho, born Jorge Luis Frello Filho to Brazilian parents, was a key player for newlycrowned European champions Italy, but was by no means the only ‘oriundo’ in the Italy squad. Fellow Brazil natives Raphael Toloi and Emerson Palmieri proved vital components of Roberto Mancini’s campaign, marking a significant change of tune from the trainer.

During his brief spell as Inter coach, Mancini spoke out against the presence of players not born in Italy that qualify due to distant relatives. Palmieri is an example of this, with his Italian ancestor born in 1853. Clearly, despite his initial reluctance, the coach has changed his mind and instead continued the long tradition of South American oriundi starring for the Azzurri. Julio Libonatti was widely recognized as the first South American immigrant with native ancestry, joining Torino from Argentine outfit Newell’s Old Boys in 1926. The diminutive forward starred for the Granata and helped usher in the age of the Grande Torino team. Libonatti’s success saw Italy call up five players who had made previous appearances for Brazil or Argentina.

Luis Monti, Raimundo Orsi, Enrique Guaita, Attilio Demaria and Anfilogino Guarisi helped the Azzurri win their home World Cup in 1934, with oriundi featuring regularly in the Italian squad for the following 30 years. However, poor performance in the 1966 World Cup saw foreign players in Serie A made the scapegoats, and as a result Italy closed its border to any non-national footballers. It took almost another 30 years, and the 1995 Bosman ruling, to revoke this decision.

A full decade later, Italy once again benefited from the presence of a South American oriundo, as Mauro Camoranesi playing a key role in the Azzurri’s 2006 World Cup win.

The Juventus winger may have been a figure of controversy due to his split allegiances with Argentina, but he was the precursor to modern day oriundi in the Italian national team. Since then, names such as Thiago Motta, Eder, Dani Osvaldo and Franco Vasquez have played varying roles for the Azzurri, with Roberto Mancini’s oriundi likely to continue to star for the European champions for years to come.

JORGINHO SPOTLIGHT

BALLON D’ORGINHO

JORGINHO’S PERFORMANCES FOR CLUB AND COUNTRY HAVE SEEN HIM TOUTED AS A CONTENDER FOR THE ULTIMATE INDIVIDUAL PRIZE IN THE SPORT – BUT HE HAS SOME STRONG COMPETITION TOO…

The 2020-21 season followed the recent trend of no one player standing out as the clear winner of the Ballon d’Or. In 2018, this saw the decade-long duopoly of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi come to an end, with Luka Modric handed football’s biggest individual award after winning the Champions League with Real Madrid and reaching the World Cup final with Croatia.

This has set a precedent in which the Ballon d’Or winner is closely correlated to the player with the most successful season, rather than with the best individual statistics. To simplify matters, a shortlist could be drawn from the winners of the Champions League, which this year was Chelsea.

In a season of international tournaments, this list has been cross-checked with the winners of the European Championship and one name clearly stands out: Jorginho. The Chelsea midfielder played a key role in both teams’ success, also finishing as the Blues’ top scorer in the Premier League.

Unfortunately for Italy’s No 8, he comes up against stiff competition to lift the Ballon d’Or. It comes as no surprise that Lionel Messi is the bookmakers’ favourite, having finally won his first ever major international tournament at this summer’s Copa America, not to mention the Copa del Rey with Barcelona. Another key contender is Robert Lewandowski, who undoubtedly would have taken the gong in 2020 had the award not been canceled.

All in all, it looks unlikely that Jorginho will get the icing on the cake of such a stellar season.

However, with two trophies to his name, it is now or never.

Winning both the Champions League and the Euro 2020 tournament has put Jorginho on the Ballon D’or shortlist

‘JORGINHO IS SIMPLY BEING RECOGNIZED FOR WHAT HE HAS BEEN DOING FOR A LONG TIME’ and interceptions.

Offensively the Azzurri were similarly suited to Jorginho, with the midfield trio completed by mobile and industrious players in Nicolo Barella and Marco Verratti. These two operated further up the pitch but made themselves constantly available for short passes from their deeper-lying regista. Likewise, the use of an advanced leftback in Leonardo Spinazzola and then Emerson Palmieri created an out ball, meaning Jorginho’s passing game was never short of options.

Unsurprisingly, the No 8 topped the passing stats for his team, coming second in overall passes for the competition.

This setup is closely reflected in Chelsea’s play, particularly during their Champions League campaign. To paraphrase Steve Walsh, Jorginho played in a midfield three with N’Golo Kante either side of him, with Tuchel’s system using the Frenchman’s industry and ability to cover so much of the pitch to complement the Italian’s tempo-setting.

Chelsea also fielded a deep-lying defence playing on the back foot for much of the competition.

This suited the Blues No 5 to a tee, who once again led the team for defensive contributions throughout the tournament. Furthermore, Tuchel’s use of a back three meant that, as with Italy, there was rarely any space between Jorginho and the defence.

Mirroring Italy’s set-up, the presence of Thiago Silva or Andreas Christensen gave Jorginho the confidence to step forward into a tackle without being bypassed, vastly improving his defensive stats. Likewise, the centre-backs’ physical presence compensated for his lack of heading ability, whilst Chelsea’s wing-backs matched Spinazzola’s role of offering an aerial option on the pass.

Evidently, Jorginho has benefited from two systems that are built to suit him, as would any player. However, this is far from the only factor contributing to the player’s resurgence, and in fact the midfielder’s stats have remained remarkably consistent from back to his time at Napoli. Instead, it appears that time, combined with success on the pitch, has resulted in fans recognizing the true worth of the position in which Jorginho plays. A deep-lying midfielder whose role is to dictate play rather than disrupt it,

is a far cry from the recent fashion in world football. The trend has moved away from the regista role perfected by Azzurri legend Andrea Pirlo, with modern midfields built on the bedrock of defensive midfielders in the ilk of a Casemiro or Kante.

However, having taken over as Chelsea’s penalty taker in September 2019, Jorginho’s hopping technique drew attention to his ability on the ball. His success in the Champions League has been well documented but the Italian also played a key role in the Blues’ top-four finish and in reaching the FA Cup final. Despite missing a penalty in the Euro 2020 final, the midfielder scored the winner in the semifinals, further enhancing his reputation.

Football can be fickle at times and when it comes down to it, lifting trophies and scoring goals makes the headlines. This season, as opposed to at any other time in his career, Jorginho has excelled in these two areas, winning the two most important competitions in Europe and finishing as his club’s top scorer in the league.

These factors have put a spotlight on the midfielder and where so many others have failed, Jorginho has thrived in it, playing the best football of his career. Furthermore, this attention has allowed people to truly see the benefit of what has for a long time been an underrated position within the game, especially outside Italy.

Rather than a renaissance, therefore, it is perhaps more apt to say that Jorginho is simply being recognized for what he has been doing for a long time. This has happened with other deep-lying playmakers such as Pirlo and Paul Scholes.

His managers are showing their faith by building their teams around him, whilst fans are finally starting to appreciate one of the best midfielders in the world.

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EURO FEST

Italy combined class with an unquenchable winning mentality to deservedly win Euro 2020

2020 EURO CHAMPIONS

EURO 2020 RECAP

THE DELAYED EURO 2020 MADE FOR CAPTIVATING VIEWING FROM BEGINNING TO END AND CREATED MANY A LASTING MEMORY. STEPHEN DONOVAN LOOKS BACK ON THE TOURNAMENT AND ITS HIGHLIGHTS…

26 2020 EURO CHAMPIONS ITALY

‘THE MOST SUCCESSFUL FORMATION WAS 4-3-3, A SYSTEM FAVOURED BY THREE OF THE FOUR SEMIFINALISTS’

I

t happened a year later than planned, but Euro 2020 was most definitely worth the wait. A unique tournament staged at 11 venues right across the continent at varying degrees of capacity, it captured the imagination through sheer entertainment and unpredictability, with high-quality football on show throughout and numerous records tumbling on the way to Italy’s eventual triumph.

There was hardly a dull game to speak of as most teams went at each other punch for punch and often had to go the full distance in order to be separated, but in the end it was the best and most resilient side of all that still emerged on top. Back from the international wilderness of embarrassingly failing to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, Italy were seen as dark horses by many, but that status quickly changed to serious contenders from the moment they got the competition underway with a stylish dismantling of Turkey. From there, they hardly put a foot wrong and although questions were frequently asked of them during the knockout stages, a collective determination and immense mental fortitude carried them all the way.

Indeed, the competition as a whole was one that rewarded such strength of character. Nothing epitomized that more than Denmark, who were rocked by talisman Christian Eriksen’s sickening cardiac arrest and looked set for an early exit, only to regroup and produce a series of inspired performances which led them to the semi-finals.

Elsewhere, England defied persistent concerns

Marco Verratti

euro 2020 recap

Following Christian Eriksen’s cardiac arrest, Denmark showed incredible quality and resilience to reach the semi-finals

about their defence and holding midfield options by not conceding from open play en route to finishing as runners-up, while we also saw some unlikely comebacks and the odd notable upset.

From a tactical perspective, the most successful formation was 4-3-3, a system favoured by three of the four semi-finalists. In each case, the emphasis was on slick passing and controlling the tempo, which brought extra responsibility upon the three in midfield, where one would sit and allow the others more freedom to move into advanced positions. Italy used Jorginho as their lynchpin to great effect, much of Denmark’s good play came through the industrious Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, and Barcelona starlet Pedri was named Young Player of the Tournament after gracing Spain with his outstanding passing ability.

What was so eye-catching about Italy’s successful side is that their style of play was a departure from the methodical, counter-attacking approach of many years gone by, with coach Roberto Mancini striking the perfect balance throughout the team and winning countless admirers in the process. In England, meanwhile, there was also a lot of discussion about Gareth Southgate and his decision making. Critics often questioned his team selections or accused his tactics of being too negative, but each time they were proved wrong as Southgate guided the Three Lions to the final where they only succumbed to a penalty shootout.

‘MANY OF THE STANDOUT PERFORMERS IN EURO 2020 WERE FULL-BACKS, JUST TO ILLUSTRATE HOW EFFECTIVE THEY ARE IN THIS DAY AND AGE’ Christian Eriksen worried the world when he suffered from his injury.

‘HE IS OUR BEST PLAYER AND WE MADE IT FAR FOR HIM’ ITALY 2020 EURO CHAMPIONS 27

2020 EURO CHAMPIONS

Underdogs Czech Republic made it to the quarter finals.

THE HOSTING XI

STAGING EURO 2020 IN MULTIPLE CITIES THROUGHOUT EUROPE WAS ALWAYS GOING TO BE A DIFFICULT UNDERTAKING, EVEN BEFORE COVID-19. IT DIVIDED OPINION, BUT AS STEPHEN DONOVAN EXPLORES, WAS FAR FROM A DISASTER

Aleksander Ceferin is against having multiple host nations again in the future

For all the teams at the finals, the ability to make up to five substitutions in normal time added an extra strategic element to the mix.

Although this rule had the potential to slow games down - the marathon last-16 clash between Sweden and Ukraine immediately springs to mind - the broader range of options it provided was a valuable tool in every coach’s armoury, as the timing of each change could sometimes make all the difference.

Looking back on the pre-tournament buildup, several nations were tipped to be in with a chance of winning it, but there were two clear front-runners. Boasting a squad of infinite quality, World Cup winners France were highly fancied to add a third Euro crown to their trophy cabinet. Meanwhile, the world’s top-ranked side Belgium were aiming for their long-awaited first major tournament victory. However, both would end up crashing out earlier than expected.

France were in Group F, which had immediately caught everyone’s attention as soon as the draw was made, for it pitted them against perennial challengers Germany, defending champions Portugal, and a committed Hungary side backed by full crowds in Budapest. After some fascinating head-to-head battles, they advanced as group winners and seemed as if they were going through the gears before unleashing their full prowess in the knockout stages. But then came the sensational penalty shootout defeat by Switzerland and the manner of it, which sent shockwaves across Europe. At that moment, it felt like anything might be possible.

Belgium looked formidable in breezing through the group stage with a 100% record and then bringing Portugal’s title defence to an end courtesy of Thorgan Hazard’s superb strike, only to fall victim to irrepressible Italy as their golden generation again came up short. There were disappointments too for Germany, losing to old rivals England in the last 16 in coach Joachim Low’s final act, and the Netherlands, who fell apart against the Czech Republic in their first major tournament since the 2014 World Cup. The Dutch were at least involved in one of the best matches of the group stage as they overcame Ukraine late on despite surrendering a two-goal lead. That was one

28 2020 EURO CHAMPIONS ITALY

Although questions were asked during the knockout stages, a determination and immense mental fortitude carried Italy all the way.

Once favoured France was taken out by the underdogs Switzerland in the round of 16

When former UEFA president Michel Platini announced way back in 2012 that the staging of Euro 2020 would be spread over some 13 cities across the continent in order to mark the competition’s 60th anniversary, it seemed an innovative idea to some, and a crazy one to others. Regardless of the opposing arguments, it certainly guaranteed that it was going to be unlike any other major tournament to date.

After a competitive bidding process, the host venues were selected with Wembley Stadium being awarded the semi-finals and final, and despite Brussels being stripped of its matches in 2017 it looked like everything was proceeding as well as could be expected. But then, with the finals just months away and the group stage draw having been made, a global pandemic would turn preparations completely upside down.

With the world at a standstill the competition was delayed by a year and when it finally came around, the question was how many supporters each stadium could safely admit.

That caused Dublin and Bilbao to have to pull out, with the latter replaced by Seville to bring the final number of host cities to 11. It wasn’t the ideal scenario, but ultimately the countless logistical challenges were overcome.

The issue of travel was a regular talking point as Switzerland clocked up almost 10,000 miles on their way to reaching the quarter-finals, while England had the luxury of playing just one of their seven games away from Wembley.

It was an unfair disparity and perhaps the most telling reason why current UEFA chief Aleksander Ceferin is against having multiple host nations again in the future, but in the circumstances it must surely be seen as a success. Every venue had its own unique vibe, and perhaps most importantly, the presence of fans made it extra special.

euro 2020 recap

EURO 2020 AWARDS

AS THE DUST SETTLES FROM ITALY’S EURO 2020 SUCCESS, STEPHEN DONOVAN LOOKS AT THOSE WHO WENT HOME WITH THE INDIVIDUAL HONOURS

PLAYER OF THE TOURNAMENT GIANLUIGI DONNARUMMA Faultless throughout Italy’s path to victory, Donnarumma showed exactly why he’s a world-class goalkeeper, not least when making two decisive saves in the shootout to beat England in the final. An imposing figure between the posts, he ultimately emerged the hero and has proved the natural successor to Gianluigi Buffon.

YOUNG PLAYER OF THE TOURNAMENT - PEDRI A special mention to Denmark’s Mikkel Damsgaard, but the meteoric rise of Pedri continues to astound.

It feels crazy to believe that he has only one season of senior football behind him, but now the 18-year-old has become just as indispensable to Spain as he is for Barcelona with his dynamic midfield performances.

COACH OF THE TOURNAMENT ROBERTO MANCINI Several coaches enhanced their reputations at Euro 2020, but Mancini’s transformation of Italy since taking charge is nothing short of phenomenal. With a neat and expansive style of play, he’s built a side that feels almost impossible to beat and instilled a fearsome mentality that carried them all the way.

TOP SCORER CRISTIANO RONALDO Despite Portugal being eliminated in the last 16, Cristiano Ronaldo still managed to claim the Golden Boot and a bunch of records. His five goals all came in the group stage, the most impressive being a skillful finish against Hungary as he moved well clear as the top scorer in the competition’s history.

REVELATION OF THE TOURNAMENT - RAHEEM STERLING Many England supporters felt that Sterling wasn’t worthy of a place in England’s starting XI for the Euros, but coach Gareth Southgate kept faith with the Manchester City forward and he truly delivered. Three goals and a succession of top-drawer performances saw Sterling deservedly named in the Team of the Tournament.

Pre-tournament favourites France suffered a shock penalty shootout defeat to Switzerland in the last 16

‘JUNE 28 WAS SURELY THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY DAY OF ACTION IN EUROS HISTORY, AS IT BROUGHT 14 GOALS, NON-STOP DRAMA, AND TWO SCARCELYBELIEVABLE COMEBACKS’ of a clutch of pulsating encounters sprinkled across the four weeks, including Germany’s thrilling 4-2 win over Portugal, Sweden clinching top spot in Group E with a last-gasp goal against Poland, and the gripping first semi-final between Italy and Spain where both teams maintained phenomenally high standards for the entire 120 minutes.

And who could forget memorable Monday?

June 28 was surely the most extraordinary day of action in European Championship history, as two astonishing last-16 games produced 14 goals, non-stop drama, and two scarcely-believable comebacks. Spain somehow allowed a comfortable 3-1 lead slip against Croatia before prevailing 5-3 after extra time, and then came the infamous demise of France.

It looked like Les Bleus had rescued a tricky situation when Karim Benzema’s double and a wonder strike from Paul Pogba punished Switzerland for missing a penalty which would have put them 2-0 up just moments earlier. It seemed like game over, but the Swiss deservedly hit back in the final 10 minutes and went on to win as Kylian Mbappe capped a campaign to forget by failing with the crucial spot-kick. It was an absolute classic.

Pogba’s sublime curler was one of the goals of the tournament along with Andriy Yarmolenko’s beauty against the Netherlands and a screamer from Denmark defender Andreas Christensen in their thumping win over Russia, but the best of the lot was Patrick Schick’s breathtaking 50-yard effort against Scotland. The Czech Republic striker went on to be one of the stars

of Euro 2020, with his five goals matched only

by Golden Boot winner Cristiano Ronaldo, who became the leading scorer in the competition’s history and equaled the world record of 109 in international men’s football.

Italy hero Gianluigi Donnarumma was named Player of the Tournament, but many of the other standout performers were full-backs, just to illustrate how effective they are in this day and age. Leonardo Spinazzola was a constant weapon for the Azzurri until being cruelly struck down by injury, Joakim Maehle was equally relentless for Denmark and scored twice, and nobody caught the eye more for the Netherlands than Denzel Dumfries, who was essentially an auxiliary striker.

The abiding memory of Euro 2020 is that it was a finals like no other. Every host city brought a different atmosphere and flavour, and most importantly it caught fire on the pitch. There was extra time aplenty, more own goals than in all the previous Euros combined, strength shown in extreme adversity, and very worthy champions at the end. After 51 games and 142 goals, Italy showed that they’re the real deal once again.

ITALY 2020 EURO CHAMPIONS 29

BESTBEST OF THE

2020 EURO CHAMPIONS

WITH EURO 2020 FEATURING SOME OF THE WORLD’S FINEST PLAYERS, FEARGAL BRENNAN TAKES A LOOK AT SOME OF THE STANDOUT PLAYERS AT THE TOURNAMENT

Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma was named Player of the Tournament, as Italy beat England on penalties in the final of Euro 2020

D

espite initial concerns over player fatigue and a lack of fan enthusiasm in some quarters, the delayed Euro 2020 proved to be one of the most exciting international tournaments in years. The impressive showing from underdog sides including Ukraine, the Czech Republic and Denmark ensured plenty of drama right the way through the knockout stages, as Roberto Mancini’s Italy took football to Rome instead of Gareth Southgate’s England bringing it home in their highstakes penalty shootout in the final at Wembley.

Last-16 exits for defending world champions France and reigning European kings Portugal opened up the competition in the final stages, with some of the season’s finest performers rising to the challenge on the international stage. Key figures for both Italy and England featured prominently throughout the competition, with the two nations forming the bulk of UEFA’s Euro 2020 Team of the Tournament, but there were a few dark horse names who lit up the competition and could be in line for a bigmoney transfer ahead of the 2021-22 season.

Here we take a look at some of the best performers at Euro 2020 and assess what the next 12 months could hold for them at club level.

GIANLUIGI DONNARUMMA Italy stopper Donnarumma played a vital role in the Azzurri’s success in clinching their first major European title since 1968, as he became the first goalkeeper to scoop up the UEFA Player of the Tournament Award. The 22-year-old confirmed his planned intention to leave Milan ahead of the competition, with his San Siro contract expiring at the end of June after eight years

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1 DONNA @GIGIO NOI” A CON S A C A “

‘EURO 2020 PROVED TO BE ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENTS IN YEARS’

Federico Chiesa made a number of decisive contributions as Italy won the Euros for the first time since 1968

BEST PLAYERS EURO 2020

‘A NEW STAR EMERGED IN THE FORM OF JUVENTUS’S ON-LOAN WINGER, FEDERICO CHIESA’ with the Rossoneri.

However, the growing speculation over his club role did not distract Mancini’s giant in between the posts, as he kept three straight clean sheets in the group stage to help Italy secure maximum points. But it was to be the semi-final and final where Donnarumma showed exactly why he has seamlessly replaced Gianluigi Buffon as Italy’s No 1, with vital shootout saves from Alvaro Morata, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka taking his team to glory under immense pressure at back-to-back Wembley games.

Following Italy’s triumph, Donnarumma moved quickly to tie up his club future by signing a five-year deal with Paris Saint-Germain as a free agent, with Mauricio Pochettino confident he can provide the much-needed presence to propel the Parisians on to a first ever Champions League title this season.

RAHEEM STERLING Sterling arrived at the England camp on the back of an indifferent campaign with Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, despite another Premier League title arriving at the Etihad Stadium. However, irrespective of his reduced role under Guardiola and a dip in form in 2020-21, Southgate stuck by the former Liverpool attacker based on his consistent reliability with England.

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2020 EURO CHAMPIONS

England forward Raheem Sterling grew up in the shadow of Wembley, and produced a series of memorable moments as the Three Lions finished as runners-up

‘RAHEEM STERLING WAS ENGLAND’S STANDOUT PLAYER IN THE COMPETITION’

Sterling in action for Manchester City

Pedri enjoyed a breakout tournament for Spain, with the Barcelona youngster tipped for a long and successful career at the top level

Sterling responded to that show of faith in impressive style, as the 26-year-old became England’s standout player in the competition. A solid group stage start from the Three Lions failed to spark much excitement, as just two goals from three matches saw them win Group D with minimal fanfare.

Both goals were scored by Sterling, to win his country six of their seven points, before he memorably broke the deadlock late on in the Three Lions win 2-0 over Germany at Wembley in the last 16. He then turned provider in the quarter-finals and semi-finals, setting up Harry Kane against Ukraine and winning the all-important penalty against Denmark.

Sterling’s performances deservedly earned him a place in the UEFA Team of the Tournament, but his club future is still rumoured to be uncertain, with City linked to a double swoop for England teammates Kane and Jack Grealish.

PEDRI Pedri’s meteoric rise in the last 12 months took another mammoth step at Euro 2020, as he slipped straight into Luis Enrique’s starting XI. The 18-year-old has established a reputation as a marathon man during his

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‘PEDRI HAS ESTABLISHED A REPUTATION AS A MARATHON MAN’

BEST PLAYERS EURO 2020

GREAT DANES

DENMARK BOUNCED BACK FROM THE TRAUMATIC EPISODE SURROUNDING STAR MAN CHRISTIAN ERIKSEN AND HIS COLLAPSE, BECOMING THE NUMBER ONE FEEL-GOOD STORY OF EURO 2020. HERE, FEARGAL BRENNAN PICKS OUT TWO OF THEIR STAR PERFORMERS, AS THE DANISH DYNAMITE WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE SEMI-FINALS.

MIKKEL DAMSGAARD Sampdoria winger Damsgaard was drafted into Denmark’s starting XI from their second group game as an emergency measure, after manager Kasper Hjulmand was forced to alter his tactical shape following the loss of Eriksen. His absence after suffering a cardiac arrest on the pitch against Finland in the tournament opener meant a change in the Danish engine room, with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Thomas Delaney forming a two-man defensive shield without a designated No 10.

This opened the door for Damsgaard as a starting option to provide pace and trickery in attack, alongside Barcelona forward Martin Braithwaite.

The width would be provided by Jens Stryger Larsen and Joakim Maehle in a new wing-back system for the Euro 92 winners. Despite losing their first two group matches against Finland and Belgium, an experienced Danish side did not panic in their do-or-die clash with Russia.

A crucial long-range strike from Damsgaard proved to be the timely platform to ensure the Danes powered their way out of Group B and into the last 16, courtesy of a resounding 4-1 victory over the Russians. His energy and ability to shoot from distance remained a constant threat for Denmark and he showed off his set-piece prowess with an arrowed free-kick in the semi-finals, to break Jordan Pickford and England’s clean sheet record in the tournament.

Damsgaard is just 12 months into a four-year deal at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris, following a 2020 move from boyhood club FC Nordsjaelland.

However, Sampdoria could come under real pressure to sell him if they receive a bid in excess of their reported €35m asking price for the 21-year-old, ahead of the start of the 2021-22 club season.

NOTABLES

Cristiano Ronaldo

Patrik Schick

MARTIN BRAITHWAITE Braithwaite has cut a curious figure under Ronald Koeman at Barcelona in the last 12 months, with just 11 league starts to his name in 2020/21.

Despite playing a bit-part role at the Camp Nou, he is well respected within the Blaugrana squad, with his selfless attitude offering an ideal foil for Messi and co within Koeman’s system.

An example of Braithwaite’s selflessness was seen by Hjulmand’s persistence in sticking with him despite failing to find the back of the net during the group stages. His ability to provide an attacking focal point brought Mikkel Damsgaard and Kasper Dolberg into play with great effect and his goal against Wales in the last 16 was a just reward for a hard-working performance against Rob Page’s side in Amsterdam.

Despite not guaranteeing a regular source of goals, the former Leganes striker is an experienced attacker with excellent link-up play, and he may now be on the radar of interested Premier League clubs this summer.

Koeman has been tasked with removing as many squad players as possible from Barca’s inflated wage bill this summer, as the Catalans rush to register their new arrivals including Sergio Aguero and Memphis Depay, while also confirming Messi’s contract extension.

Braithwaite is on the list of players available for transfer ahead of the 2021-22 campaign, as Koeman aims to trim down his squad. A string of English sides are rumoured to be tracking him as an attacking reinforcement, while Barcelona are open to a bids in the region of €15m for the 30-year-old former Middlesbrough player this summer.

Mikkel Damsgaard and Martin Braithwaite were both excellent for Denmark en route to the semi-finals

Yann Sommer

first season of La Liga football in 2020-21.

His 37 appearances for Ronald Koeman were more than any other player in the Barcelona squad, including the iconic Lionel Messi. Despite his tender age, both Koeman and Enrique have placed their complete faith in the Canary Islands-born schemer, and he has backed that up with mature, high-octane performances in their respective engine rooms. The absence of Blaugrana teammate Sergio Busquets for the first two group games did not faze him, as he remained ever present with 120 minutes in all three knockout matches.

Pedri joined Sterling and Donnarumma in the tournament’s best XI, but winning the Young Player of the Tournament award underlines his place as one of the best teenagers in world football. Koeman is frustrated at Spain’s decision to call him up for Olympic duty this summer, but after a brief rest ahead of the new season, he is in line to pick the baton straight up as Koeman’s midfield lynchpin in 2021, alongside Busquets and Frenkie de Jong.

FEDERICO CHIESA Much of the pre-tournament talk surrounding Italy’s attack focused on Mancini deploying Ciro Immobile or Andrea Belotti as his No 9. However, with the Azzurri boss focusing on team structure ahead of individual talents, a new star emerged in the form of Juventus’s on-loan winger, Federico Chiesa.

A decisive moment for Chiesa came in the last-16 stage, as his fine finish off the bench powered the Azzurri to a 2-1 victory over Austria in extra time. His impact persuaded Mancini to bring him into the starting XI for their final three games, with a key goal against Spain in the last four and a leading role against England in the final.

The 23-year-old was named as the fifth Italian representative in the UEFA Team of the Tournament, alongside Donnarumma, Leonardo Bonucci, Leonardo Spinazzola and Jorginho. Goals and eye-catching performances have catapulted him into the spotlight at club level ahead of the 2021-22 campaign, with Juve set to tie up his future from Fiorentina.

Andrea Pirlo secured a two-year loan deal at the start of last season and the Turin club have already rubber-stamped their intention to activate the second half of the deal. A pre-agreement between the clubs over a €40m purchase option in 2022 could be rushed through this summer, as Juventus aim to prevent Real Madrid or Barcelona from hijacking their claim to the Genoese speedster.

ITALY 2020 EURO CHAMPIONS 33

HISTORY MAKERS 2020 EURO CHAMPIONS

ITALY WON THE EUROS AFTER A LEGENDARY FINAL AGAINST ENGLAND AT WEMBLEY STADIUM. RICHARD HALL LOOKS AT HOW EACH AZZURRI PLAYER PERFORMED DURING THE TOURNAMENT.

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ROBERTO MANCINI Coach

AGE: 56 D.O.B.: November 27, 1964 BIRTHPLACE: Lesi, Italy

Mancini has worked wonders in the role given that when the former Manchester City boss took charge of the national side in 2018, the Azzurri were in turmoil.

PLAYER PROFILES HISTORY MAKERS

GOALKEEPERS Gigi Donnarumma confirmed his status as Italy’s best goalkeeper since namesake Buffon

PLAYER RATING:

10

‘GIGI DONNARUMMA SECURED HIS TAG AS THE SUCCESSOR TO THE GREAT GIGI BUFFON.’

PLAYER RATING:

6

GIGI DONNARUMMA

SALVATORE SIRIGU

The Italian custodian showed once again that he is an elite goalkeeper despite being only 22 years of age. His performance against Spain saw him break down in tears after he saved the key penalty. The goalkeeper is not perfect, but he secured his tag as the successor to the great Gigi Buffon. Named player of the tournament.

He had a brief spell between the sticks after Italy had qualified and did nothing wrong. Donnarumma praised Sirigu for his advice before the penalty shootout against Spain, showing that you can contribute whilst on the bench.

AGE: 22 D.O.B.: February 25, 1999 BIRTHPLACE: Castellammare di Stabia, Italy SQUAD NUMBER: 21 MATCHES PLAYED: 7 MINUTES PLAYED: 719’ SAVES: 9 CARDS: 0 Yellow cards 0 Red cards

FOULS COMMITTED: 0 PASSING ACCURACY: 206/241 (87%) GOALS CONCEDED: 4 CLAIMS: 27 PUNCHES MADE: 6 CLEAN SHEETS: 3

AGE: 34 D.O.B.: January 12, 1987 BIRTHPLACE: Nuoro, Italy SQUAD NUMBER: 1 MATCHES PLAYED: 1 MINUTES PLAYED: 1’ SAVES: 0

CARDS: 0 Yellow cards 0 Red cards FOULS COMMITTED: 0 PASSING ACCURACY: 2/2 (100%) GOALS CONCEDED: 0 CLAIMS: 0 PUNCHES MADE: 0 CLEAN SHEETS: 1

Was named in UEFA’s Team of the Tournament, Won UEFA Player of the Tournament award

@AZZURRI ES OF MANY PICTUR EN BE E AV H S FAN E AZZURRI POSTED BY TH

PLAYER RATING:

N/A DID NOT PLAY

ALEX MERET N/A Did not play AGE: 24 D.O.B.: March 22, 1997 BIRTHPLACE: Udine, Italy SQUAD NUMBER: 26

ITALY 2020 EURO CHAMPIONS 35

2020 EURO CHAMPIONS @AZZURRI AS THIS IMAGE WZZURRI EA TH BY ED ST PO AFTER THE MORNING

DEFENDERS

GIOVANNI DI LORENZO If you asked anybody what Di Lorenzo’s highlights of the tournament were, you may be waiting for some time. However, he was Italy’s Mr Consistent and dropped in well when the Azzurri moved to a back three. He allowed the lefthand side to push up and did his job well.

PLAYER RATING:

7

Captain Giorgio Chiellini inspired the rest of the Italy team with his excellent performances

AGE: 28 D.O.B.: August 4, 1993 BIRTHPLACE: Castelnuovo di Garfagnana, Italy SQUAD NUMBER: 2 MATCHES PLAYED: 6 MINUTES PLAYED: 585’ GOALS: 0 CARDS: 1 Yellow cards 0 Red cards

FOULS COMMITTED: 13 PASSING ACCURACY: 252/296 (84%) TACKLES: 9 BALLS RECOVERED: 40 CLEARANCES COMPLETED: 13 BLOCKS: 4 TOP SPEED (KM/H): 32.6 km/h DISTANCE COVERED (KM): 65.8 km

GIORGIO CHIELLINI Potentially Italy’s player of the tournament. The intelligence exhibited by the captain was immense. His ability to move quick players out wide whilst repositioning himself was the work of a master craftsman. A leader by example, he was simply superb to watch and his antics before the penalty shootout against Spain will go down in history.

AGE: 37 D.O.B.: August 14, 1984 BIRTHPLACE: Pisa, Italy SQUAD NUMBER: 3

PLAYER RATING:

9

MATCHES PLAYED: 5 MINUTES PLAYED: 444’ GOALS: 0 CARDS: 1 Yellow cards 0 Red cards FOULS COMMITTED: 5

PASSING ACCURACY: 287/313 (90%) TACKLES: 3 BALLS RECOVERED: 37 CLEARANCES COMPLETED: 21 BLOCKS: 2 TOP SPEED (KM/H): 29 km/h DISTANCE COVERED (KM): 47.4 km

LEONARDO SPINAZZOLA It was interesting to hear people who do not watch Serie A referring to Spinazzola as Italy’s best player. Nobody was raving about him to these levels at the end of last season, but this was his tournament. The peninsula was devastated when he fell afoul of his injury but his contribution will not be forgotten.

AGE: 28 D.O.B.: March 25, 1993 BIRTHPLACE: Foligno, Italy SQUAD NUMBER: 4

PLAYER RATING:

9

36 2020 EURO CHAMPIONS ITALY

MATCHES PLAYED: 4 MINUTES PLAYED: 379’ GOALS: 0 CARDS: 0 Yellow cards 0 Red cards FOULS COMMITTED: 1 PASSING ACCURACY: 160/182 (88%)

TACKLES: 1 BALLS RECOVERED: 27 CLEARANCES COMPLETED: 3 BLOCKS: 3 TOP SPEED (KM/H): 33.8 km/h DISTANCE COVERED (KM): 43.2 km 2 Star of the Match awards – versus Turkey & Austria Was named in UEFA’s Team of the Tournament

PLAYER PROFILES HISTORY MAKERS EMERSON PALMIERI Emerson was initially criticized when deputizing for Spinazzola as he was not at that level but it soon became clear he offered a different threat. Yes, he holds onto the ball too much, but his dynamic runs still offered a different attacking element from the left and he did his job well.

AGE: 27 D.O.B.: August 3, 1994 BIRTHPLACE: Santos, State of São Paulo, Brazil SQUAD NUMBER: 13

PLAYER RATING:

8

MATCHES PLAYED: 4 MINUTES PLAYED: 292’ GOALS: 0 CARDS: 0 Yellow cards 0 Red cards

FOULS COMMITTED: 3 PASSING ACCURACY: 105/123 (88%) TACKLES: 3 BALLS RECOVERED: 6 CLEARANCES COMPLETED: 3 BLOCKS: 0 TOP SPEED (KM/H): 30.6 km/h DISTANCE COVERED (KM): 34.1 km

@ACERBI_FRA “CAMPIONI D’EUROPA!!”

FRANCESCO ACERBI Those who follow Serie A will understand that ‘Francesco Acerbi was Francesco Acerbi.’ Professional to the letter and did not put a foot wrong when asked. He was the perfect substitute and one of Mancini’s soldiers.

PLAYER RATING:

7

AGE: 33 D.O.B.: February 10, 1988 BIRTHPLACE: Vizzolo Predabissi, Italy SQUAD NUMBER: 15 MATCHES PLAYED: 3 MINUTES PLAYED: 231’ GOALS: 0 CARDS: 0 Yellow cards 0 Red cards

FOULS COMMITTED: 0 PASSING ACCURACY: 166/174 (95%) TACKLES: 1 BALLS RECOVERED: 17 CLEARANCES COMPLETED: 3 BLOCKS: 1 TOP SPEED (KM/H): 30.4 km/h DISTANCE COVERED (KM): 25.5 km

LEONARDO BONUCCI What can you say about Bonucci that has not already been said? His leadership and understanding with Chiellini are why Italy did so well in the competition. He did himself proud in his final hurrah and will go down in history, as one of Italy’s greatest defenders.

AGE: 34 D.O.B.: May 1, 1987 BIRTHPLACE: Viterbo, Italy SQUAD NUMBER: 19

PLAYER RATING:

8

MATCHES PLAYED: 7 MINUTES PLAYED: 675’ GOALS: 1 CARDS: 2 Yellow cards 0 Red cards FOULS COMMITTED: 2 PASSING ACCURACY: 438/491 (89%)

TACKLES: 1 BALLS RECOVERED: 26 CLEARANCES COMPLETED: 16 BLOCKS: 3 TOP SPEED (KM/H): 29.9 km/h DISTANCE COVERED (KM): 66.1 km 1 Star of the Match award – versus England Was named in UEFA’s Team of the Tournament.

ITALY 2020 EURO CHAMPIONS 37

2020 EURO CHAMPIONS PLAYER RATING:

7

ALESSANDRO BASTONI With only 90 minutes under his belt it is impossible to really judge him. His passing accuracy was at 96% in his one game and he at least demonstrated why he will be the heart of Italy’s defence for years to come.

AGE: 22 D.O.B.: April 13, 1999 BIRTHPLACE: Casalmaggiore, Italy SQUAD NUMBER: 23 MATCHES PLAYED: 1 MINUTES PLAYED: 90’ GOALS: 0 CARDS: 0 Yellow cards 0 Red cards

FOULS COMMITTED: 5 PASSING ACCURACY: 79/82 (96%) TACKLES: 1 BALLS RECOVERED: 2 CLEARANCES COMPLETED: 1 BLOCKS: 0 TOP SPEED (KM/H): 24.5 km/h DISTANCE COVERED (KM): 8.9 km

@FLORENZI TUTTI VOI, QUESTA È PER SOFFERTO E ET AV E VOI CH ESI… IN QUESTI 18 M

ALESSANDRO FLORENZI Injury took its toll on the 30-year-old and the 30 minutes he played are simply not enough to judge.

PLAYER RATING:

6

PLAYER RATING:

6

AGE: 30 D.O.B.: March 11, 1991 BIRTHPLACE: Rome, Italy SQUAD NUMBER: 24 MATCHES PLAYED: 2 MINUTES PLAYED: 47’ GOALS: 0 CARDS: 0 Yellow cards 0 Red cards

RAFAEL TOLOI The Atalanta centre-back offered experience and did nothing wrong as such. Superb at club level, he did not make this evident on the international stage with a low passing average. Giving the ball away this much nearly cost the Azzurri.

AGE: 30 D.O.B.: October 10, 1990 BIRTHPLACE: Glória d’Oeste, State of Mato Grosso, Brazil SQUAD NUMBER: 25 MATCHES PLAYED: 4 MINUTES PLAYED: 158’ GOALS: 0 CARDS: 1 Yellow cards 0 Red cards

38 2020 EURO CHAMPIONS ITALY

FOULS COMMITTED: 2 PASSING ACCURACY: 41/49 (78%) TACKLES: 0 BALLS RECOVERED: 0 CLEARANCES COMPLETED: 1 BLOCKS: 0 TOP SPEED (KM/H): 27.2 km/h DISTANCE COVERED (KM): 5.8 km

FOULS COMMITTED: 4 PASSING ACCURACY: 70/79 (64%) TACKLES: 2 BALLS RECOVERED: 9 CLEARANCES COMPLETED: 0 BLOCKS: 0 TOP SPEED (KM/H): 30.8 km/h DISTANCE COVERED (KM): 18.5 km

PLAYER PROFILES HISTORY MAKERS

MIDFIELDERS MANUEL LOCATELLI

He should get that rating just for the celebration. The Sassuolo midfielder deputized for the injured Verratti, and how. There was a clamour for him to start with two goals to his name, but he can relax knowing the big teams in Europe are sniffing around him.

AGE: 23 D.O.B.: January 8, 1998 BIRTHPLACE: Lecco, Italy SQUAD NUMBER: 5 MATCHES PLAYED: 5 MINUTES PLAYED: 272’ GOALS: 2 CARDS: 0 Yellow cards 0 Red cards FOULS COMMITTED: 7

PLAYER RATING:

8

PASSING ACCURACY: 127/141 (85%) TOTAL ATTEMPTS: 5 ASSISTS: 0 TACKLES: 15 BALLS RECOVERED: 7 TOP SPEED (KM/H): 27.9 km/h DISTANCE COVERED (KM): 34.2 km 1 Star of the Match award – versus Switzerland

MARCO VERRATTI After his injury, his experience and tactical intelligence meant that it was obvious that he should start. There was a confidence that he brought to the team, it was like having your bishop back on the chessboard. His relationship with Jorginho transformed the Italians into an elite team.

AGE: 28 D.O.B.: November 5, 1992 BIRTHPLACE: Pescara, Italy SQUAD NUMBER: 6

PLAYER RATING:

8

MATCHES PLAYED: 5 MINUTES PLAYED: 400’ GOALS: 0 CARDS: 1 Yellow cards 0 Red cards FOULS COMMITTED: 8

PASSING ACCURACY: 401/425 (93%) TOTAL ATTEMPTS: 4 ASSISTS: 3 TACKLES: 30 BALLS RECOVERED: 32 TOP SPEED (KM/H): 27.4 km/h DISTANCE COVERED (KM): 49.9 km

RATTI92 @MARCO_VER ONI “SIAMO CAMPII MIEI” IC M A PA O D’EUR

GAETANO CASTROVILLI Three minutes played and nothing to report.

AGE: 24 D.O.B.: February 17, 1997 BIRTHPLACE: Canosa di Puglia, Italy SQUAD NUMBER: 7

PLAYER RATING:

N/A

MATCHES PLAYED: 1 MINUTES PLAYED: 3’ GOALS: 0 CARDS: 0 Yellow cards 0 Red cards FOULS COMMITTED: 0

PASSING ACCURACY: 3/3 (100%) TOTAL ATTEMPTS: 0 ASSISTS: 0 TACKLES: 0 BALLS RECOVERED: 0 TOP SPEED (KM/H): 24.1 km/h DISTANCE COVERED (KM): 0.9 km

ONLY PLAYED 3 MIN

ITALY 2020 EURO CHAMPIONS 39

@AZZURRI WITH “THE AZZURRIT SERGIO EN ID ITALY PRES MATTARELLA”

2020 EURO CHAMPIONS

BRYAN CRISTANTE Another of the Roma contingent, he made six appearances in the tournament and was tidy if unspectacular on the ball. He didn’t do anything remarkable but did nothing wrong either.

PLAYER RATING:

6

PLAYER RATING:

9

AGE: 26 D.O.B.: March 3, 1995 BIRTHPLACE: San Vito al Tagliamento, Italy SQUAD NUMBER: 16 MATCHES PLAYED: 6 MINUTES PLAYED: 129’ GOALS: 0 CARDS: 0 Yellow cards 0 Red cards

FOULS COMMITTED: 2 PASSING ACCURACY: 61/71 (79%) TOTAL ATTEMPTS: 3 ASSISTS: 0 TACKLES: 0 BALLS RECOVERED: 3 TOP SPEED (KM/H): 27.7 km/h DISTANCE COVERED (KM): 18.8 km

JORGINHO The fact that people are talking about him winning the Ballon D’Or says it all.

He simply was the linchpin in this Italian side, the metronome and the battery.

His range of passing is at a level that is in the shadows of Andrea Pirlo and he has been critical to the functionality of this Italian squad AGE: 29 D.O.B.: December 20, 1991 BIRTHPLACE: Imbituba, State of Santa Catarina, Brazil SQUAD NUMBER: 8 MATCHES PLAYED: 7 MINUTES PLAYED: 705’ GOALS: 0 CARDS: 1 Yellow cards 0 Red cards

FOULS COMMITTED: 11 PASSING ACCURACY: 497/529 (93%) TOTAL ATTEMPTS: 0 ASSISTS: 0 TACKLES: 11 BALLS RECOVERED: 46 TOP SPEED (KM/H): 27.7 km/h DISTANCE COVERED (KM): 86.6 km Was named in UEFA’s Team of the Tournament.

MATTEO PESSINA With two goals, the Atalanta midfielder has impressed when called upon.

So much so that Roberto Mancini will no doubt hold him in high regard and use him heavily in the World Cup qualification stages. His composure and intelligence have made him an asset for Italy and a big player for the future.

AGE: 24 D.O.B.: April 21, 1997 BIRTHPLACE: Monza, Italy SQUAD NUMBER: 12

PLAYER RATING:

8

40 2020 EURO CHAMPIONS ITALY

MATCHES PLAYED: 4 MINUTES PLAYED: 191’ GOALS: 2 CARDS: 1 Yellow cards 0 Red cards FOULS COMMITTED: 2

PASSING ACCURACY: 46/60 (68%) TOTAL ATTEMPTS: 3 ASSISTS: 0 TACKLES: 0 BALLS RECOVERED: 6 TOP SPEED (KM/H): 30.2 km/h DISTANCE COVERED (KM): 25.9 km

A key cog in Inter’s Scudetto-winning team, Nicolo Barella carried that form into Euro 2020

PLAYER PROFILES HISTORY MAKERS

RELLA @NICOLO_BA N “SOGNA E NOMPIONI I! CA A M RE TE ET SM D’EUROPA”

NICOLO BARELLA Nicolo Barella topped off his Scudetto win with Inter by introducing himself to the international stage with consummate ease. Potentially a world-class individual, he has helped dominate his countries midfield with endeavour, class and technical brilliance. He has been a difference-maker and has a huge future ahead of him.

PLAYER RATING:

9

AGE: 24 D.O.B.: February 7, 1997 BIRTHPLACE: Cagliari, Italy SQUAD NUMBER: 18 MATCHES PLAYED: 6 MINUTES PLAYED: 472’ GOALS: 1 CARDS: 2 Yellow cards 0 Red cards

FOULS COMMITTED: 6 PASSING ACCURACY: 209/249 (82%) TOTAL ATTEMPTS: 5 ASSISTS: 1 TACKLES: 9 BALLS RECOVERED: 11 TOP SPEED (KM/H): 31 km/h DISTANCE COVERED (KM): 59.7 km

FEDERICO CHIESA The season started slowly but has culminated in a bang. Chiesa has shown just what a creative force he is and he has shown the world he also has an end product. His father Enrico, must be proud as he watches his son surpass his own extraordinary talent.

AGE: 23 D.O.B.: October 25, 1997 BIRTHPLACE: Genoa, Italy SQUAD NUMBER: 14

PLAYER RATING:

9

MATCHES PLAYED: 7 MINUTES PLAYED: 438’ GOALS: 2 CARDS: 0 Yellow cards 0 Red cards FOULS COMMITTED: 5 PASSING ACCURACY: 77/102 (80%)

TOTAL ATTEMPTS: 17 ASSISTS: 0 TACKLES: 2 BALLS RECOVERED: 4 TOP SPEED (KM/H): 33.1 km/h DISTANCE COVERED (KM): 47.8 km 2 Star of the Match awards – versus Wales & Spain Was named in UEFA’s Team of the Tournament.

CHI @FBERNARDES OA “LA PORTIAM AA” ROMAAAAAA

FEDERICO BERNARDESCHI The Juventus wide man has been used three times off the bench but did not manage to make an impact. He was at least responsible for a perfectly executed penalty in the shootout against Spain.

PLAYER RATING:

6

AGE: 27 D.O.B.: February 16, 1994 BIRTHPLACE: Carrara, Italy SQUAD NUMBER: 20 MATCHES PLAYED: 4 MINUTES PLAYED: 127’ GOALS: 0 CARDS: 0 Yellow cards 0 Red cards FOULS COMMITTED: 0

PASSING ACCURACY: 32/46 (60%) TOTAL ATTEMPTS: 4 ASSISTS: 0 TACKLES: 0 BALLS RECOVERED: 2 TOP SPEED (KM/H): 29.9 km/h DISTANCE COVERED (KM): 16.1 km

ITALY 2020 EURO CHAMPIONS 41

@AZZURRI E “THROUGH TH F O S ET STRE !”

ROME WE GO

2020 EURO CHAMPIONS

ATTACKERS

GIACOMO RASPADORI Featured for 15 minutes. Not quite the ‘Toto’ Schillaci love story everyone hoped for but good experience for the Sassuolo forward.

AGE: 21 D.O.B.: February 18, 2000 BIRTHPLACE: Bentivoglio, Italy SQUAD NUMBER: 22

PLAYER RATING:

N/A

MATCHES PLAYED: 1 MINUTES PLAYED: 15’ GOALS: 0 CARDS: 0 Yellow cards 0 Red cards FOULS COMMITTED: 1

PASSING ACCURACY: 3/5 (60%) TOTAL ATTEMPTS: 1 ON TARGET: 0 ASSISTS: 0 TOP SPEED (KM/H): 25.2 km/h TYPE OF GOAL: HEAD: 0 LEFT FOOT: 0 RIGHT FOOT: 0 FOULS SUFFERED: 0

ONLY PLAYED 15 MIN

DOMENICO BERARDI Berardi is known in Italy as Mr Inconsistent but his performances for Mancini and Italy have been at a good level. He hasn’t set the tournament alight, but he has provided a threat on the flanks and has done himself proud.

AGE: 26 D.O.B.: August 1, 1994 BIRTHPLACE: Cariati, Italy SQUAD NUMBER: 11

PLAYER RATING:

7

MATCHES PLAYED: 6 MINUTES PLAYED: 375’ GOALS: 0 CARDS: 1 Yellow cards 0 Red cards FOULS COMMITTED: 7

PASSING ACCURACY: 100/134 (71%) TOTAL ATTEMPTS: 14 ON TARGET: 2 ASSISTS: 2 TOP SPEED (KM/H): 31.5 km/h TYPE OF GOAL: HEAD: 0 LEFT FOOT: 0 RIGHT FOOT: 0 FOULS SUFFERED: 5

ANDREA BELOTTI There were calls for the 27-year-old Torino striker to play more in the tournament because of how well he holds the ball up. Perhaps a victim of Italy’s opposition has played second fiddle to Immobile but has done nothing wrong when called upon.

AGE: 27 DATE OF BIRTH: December 20, 1993 BIRTHPLACE: Calcinate, Italy SQUAD NUMBER: 9

PLAYER RATING:

7

42 2020 EURO CHAMPIONS ITALY

MATCHES PLAYED: 6 MINUTES PLAYED: 216’ GOALS: 0 CARDS: Yellow cards 0 Red cards 0 FOULS COMMITTED: 2

PASSING ACCURACY: 25/35 (82%) TOTAL ATTEMPTS: 9 ON TARGET: 2 ASSISTS: 0 TOP SPEED (KM/H): 30.2 km/h TYPE OF GOAL: HEAD: 0 LEFT FOOT: 0 RIGHT FOOT: 0 FOULS SUFFERED: 12

PLAYER PROFILES HISTORY MAKERS PLAYER RATING:

9

Little Napoli forward Lorenzo Insigne delivered big throughout the tournament

‘LANGUID, CREATIVE AND BEAUTIFUL TO WATCH. LORENZO INSIGNE ALWAYS PLAYED WITH A SMILE ON HIS FACE’

PLAYER RATING:

7

LORENZO INSIGNE

CIRO IMMOBILE

One of the highlights of Italy’s team. Languid, creative and beautiful to watch.

He always played with a smile on his face. It is very difficult not to enjoy Lorenzo and his superlative Neapolitan Street football.

If you spend your time perusing the Gazzetta Dello Sport you would think that the Lazio striker has had a poor tournament. His two goals in five games may not have been as many as Italy wanted, but he offered pace on the counter-attack and Mancini was loathed to drop him.

AGE: 30 D.O.B.: June 4, 1991 BIRTHPLACE: Frattamaggiore, Italy SQUAD NUMBER: 10 MATCHES PLAYED: 6 MINUTES PLAYED: 512’ GOALS: 2 CARDS: 1 Yellow cards 0 Red cards FOULS COMMITTED: 1

PASSING ACCURACY: 263/323 (81%) TOTAL ATTEMPTS: 19 ON TARGET: 7 ASSISTS: 0 TOP SPEED (KM/H): 30.8 km/h TYPE OF GOAL: HEAD: 0 LEFT FOOT: 0 RIGHT FOOT: 2 FOULS SUFFERED: 3

AGE: 31 D.O.B.: February 20, 1990 BIRTHPLACE: Torre Annunziata, Italy SQUAD NUMBER: 17 MATCHES PLAYED: 6 MINUTES PLAYED: 444’ GOALS: 2 CARDS: 0 Yellow cards 0 Red cards

FOULS COMMITTED: 6 PASSING ACCURACY: 101/127 (79%) TOTAL ATTEMPTS: 18 ON TARGET: 3 ASSISTS: 1 TOP SPEED (KM/H): 31.7 km/h TYPE OF GOAL: HEAD: 0 LEFT FOOT: 2 RIGHT FOOT: 0 FOULS SUFFERED: 3

‘THE INTELLIGENCE EXHIBITED BY CAPTAIN GIORGIO CHIELLINI WAS IMMENSE’ ITALY 2020 EURO CHAMPIONS 43

2020 EURO CHAMPIONS

SERIE A TRIUMPH AFTER UPSETTING THE ODDS TO WIN EURO 2020, CIRO DI BRITA TAKES A LOOK AT HOW ITALY’S TRIUMPH WAS MADE IN THE PROVINCES AND ALL POINTS AROUND THE PENINSULA

R

oberto Mancini has broken the long-running trend of Italian national team coaches predominately choosing players from the three northern super clubs Milan, Inter and Juventus.

When it came to selecting his Euro 2020 squad, Mancini cast his net wide and brought in players from 10 Serie A teams, as well as Champions League winners Chelsea and French giants Paris Saint-Germain. So, just how was the European Championship-winning side formed by the clubs outside the big three and the strength of Italian players plying their trade around Serie A? In 2012, Pescara were crowned Serie B champions. Coached by the legendary chain-smoking Czech Zdenek Zeman, they featured a trio of players instrumental in Italy’s Euro win - Lorenzo Insigne, Ciro Immobile and Marco Verratti - while playing an attacking 4-3-3 formation. Despite Verratti joining PSG before ever playing a single game in Serie A, and the other two returning to their parent clubs the following summer, the chemistry built up on and off the field during those days in Abruzzo has stood the test of time, and this friendship was clear to see during Euro 2020.

Mancini’s Italy benefited from this camaraderie. The rapport built up in the weeks prior to the opening game was infectious, spreading even to the usually serious Juventus duo of Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci. The pair became jovial in their old age, even joining the rest of the squad in singing the comedic Neapolitan song ‘Ma Quale Dieta’, which suddenly became the team’s unofficial anthem.

The idea of Il Gruppo that Mancini formed was key to Italy winning the Euros. Without a standout player like a Roberto Baggio, Francesco Totti or Andrea Pirlo, it was vital that they focused on unity, confidence, tactics and determination, rather than individual quality. Before the tournament, the ability of some players might have been ignored, seeing as there weren’t many household names among the squad.

However, nobody could now say that Italy lack talent or quality.

44 2020 EURO CHAMPIONS ITALY

Italy are crowned champions of Europe after beating England on penalties in the final at Wembley

Maurizio Sarri’s philosophy has had an effect on the style of football now being played by Italy’s national team

‘THE RICHES ARE SPREAD OUT ACROSS SERIE A’

SERIE A AT THE EUROS

SIZE DOESN’T MATTER

AS ROBERTO MANCINI CHANGES TACK TO SELECT HIS ITALY PLAYERS FROM AROUND SERIE A RATHER THAN MAINLY FROM THE BIG GUNS, CIRO DI BRITA PICKS OUT FIVE ITALIAN PLAYERS WHO CAUGHT THE EYE AT EURO 2020 WHILE PLAYING FOR SMALLER CLUBS

MANUEL LOCATELLI Sassuolo, midfield, 23 Locatelli made his debut for Milan at the age of 18 in 2016, coming on as a substitute against Carpi. He made the headlines later that year when scoring the winning goal in a 1-0 victory over champions Juventus and truly blossomed at Euro 2020.

MATTEO PESSINA Atalanta, midfield, 24 Another former Milan youth team player, Pessina never made an appearance for the Rossoneri, instead joining Atalanta in 2017.

After loan spells with Spezia and Hellas Verona, he finally broke into the Nerazzurri’s first team this season and impressed with two goals for Italy at the Euros.

DOMENICO BERARDI Sassuolo, forward, 26 Sassuolo captain Berardi had long been tipped for a place in the Italian national team, but was overlooked for one reason or another. The Calabrian scored all four goals in a 4-3 win over Milan in 2014 while still a teenager and looks to have now finally fulfilled his potential.

RAFAEL TOLOI Atalanta, defender, 30 After first heading to Europe on loan at Roma, Brazil-born defender Toloi joined Atalanta in 2015 and only acquired Italian citizenship in February after meeting the five-year residency requirement.

The 30-year-old’s great-grandparents were from Treviso in Veneto, making him eligible for the Azzurri.

ANDREA BELOTTI Torino, forward, 27 Torino captain Belotti has 12 goals in 39 appearances for the Azzurri. Il Gallo was Torino’s main goal threat last season despite their poor form, but perhaps it’s time the striker made the move to a bigger club to regain his goalscoring touch and fulfill his potential.

Andrea Belotti in action for his club, Torino

‘GIORGIO CHIELLINI AND LEONARDO BONUCCI BECAME JOVIAL IN THEIR OLD AGE’ Gianluigi Donnarumma won Player of the Tournament, while Leonardo Spinazzola was named in the UEFA Team of the Tournament alongside Bonucci, Federico Chiesa and Jorginho, despite missing the semi-final and final through injury. These players should now all be reasonably mentioned whenever any football fans are discussing the merits of the finest purveyors of the game.

Italian football experienced the first effects of a cultural shock to the system when Maurizio Sarri’s Empoli were promoted to the top flight in 2014. The Tuscan outfit proved that season to be one of the best-coached sides in the league, while playing an attractive brand of football. That style caught the eye of Napoli owner Aurelio De Laurentiis, who replaced Rafa Benitez with Sarri at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona – then the San Paolo – after the Spaniard’s pragmatic approach of play saw his team fail to qualify for the Champions League.

It took Sarri a few weeks to work out the kinks in his side, but for the next three years the Azzurri became one of the most exciting teams in Europe. After abandoning a 4-3-1-2 formation for a 4-3-3 early on, the Partenopei began to take shape as a team that pressed high up the field, while playing the ball out from the back with quick one-touch football.

Insigne operated on the left of attack, with Jorginho dictating the play from the middle of the park. Sarri’s team never took their foot off the gas, were never happy with just scoring once, and always took the game to the opposition. These are similar traits to Mancini’s Italy. The main difference between the two, however, is Mancini’s side are capable of winning ugly, soaking up pressure, seeing games out and, of course, lifting a trophy.

The progression of Sarri-ball in Serie A gave birth to Gian Piero Gasperini’s Atalanta side, which has been so impressive over the past few years. The Nerazzurri have taken the concept of the high press to another level with every player working hard to win the ball back and get forward. La Dea do not just have a front three, at times the centre-backs can find themselves inside the opposition box after a lung-busting run.

This high-energy, swashbuckling, attacking philosophy is a far cry from the dull, slow, unimaginative brand of football that Serie A was accused of having in the early 2010s.

Matteo Pessina embodies Gasperini’s style.

Tireless, tough and technical, the young Atalanta midfielder chipped in with two

ITALY 2020 EURO CHAMPIONS 45

2020 EURO CHAMPIONS

LA DEA RISING

WITH ATALANTA’S PLAYERS BRINGING THEIR IMPRESSIVE CLUB FORM INTO THE SUMMER, CIRO DI BRITA ASSESSES HOW LA DEA’S TALENTED SQUAD FARED AT EURO 2020

JOAKIM MAEHLE Denmark, defender, 24 Maehle scored twice at Euro 2020, once in the group stage in a 4-1 win over Russia and then in the last 16 in Denmark’s 4-0 defeat of Wales. The wing-back was a key part of the Danes’ revival following the trauma of Christian Eriksen’s collapse in their opening match.

MARIO PASALIC -

GIAN PIERO GASPERINI’S HIGH-OCTANE FOOTBALL HAS BEEN AN INSPIRATION FOR ITALY vital goals against Wales and Austria during the European Championship. Despite having to sell their best players every year, the Bergamaschi have continued to be competitive, while sticking to the concept of full-throttle football that has impressed in the Champions League in recent seasons.

With so many young players coming through at the perceived smaller clubs, there is no denying the current strength of the production line of top-level footballers in Italy. After what was a significant dearth of talent coming through in the years after the World Cup win in 2006, Serie A can now boast of some explosive emerging youngsters. Clubs like Empoli, Atalanta and Sassuolo should be applauded for the way they operate and the opportunities they give to young Italian players. Take Manuel Locatelli for example, who was released by Milan after bursting onto the scene with a wonder goal against Juventus in 2016. He has been allowed to mature and develop into one of the best midfielders in Europe and at 23 years of age, could be soon making a move to join Juventus.

Others like Roma starlet Nicolo Zaniolo, Milan duo Davide Calabria and Sandro Tonali, Ricardo Orsolini of Bologna, Empoli midfielder Samuele Ricci, and Sassuolo striker Gianluca Scamacca, will no doubt hope to be in Mancini’s plans as Italy build towards the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

The riches are spread out across Serie A, promising a bright future for the national team.

46 2020 EURO CHAMPIONS ITALY

Matteo Pessina embodies Atalanta’s all-action style and the midfielder shone at the Euros

Croatia, midfielder, 26 Pasalic made two substitute appearances for Croatia as they exited in a 5-3 defeat to Spain in the last 16.

Unfortunately, the midfielder was unable to make a significant impression on the Euros.

ROBIN GOSENS Germany, defender, 27 Gosens was named man of the match for his performance in Germany’s 4-2 win over Portugal in the group stage. The wing-back scored the fourth goal and provided two assists to gain revenge over Cristiano Ronaldo, who refused to swap shirts after a league game between Atalanta and Juventus.

ALEKSEI MIRANCHUK Russia, midfielder, 25 Miranchuk scored the winning goal in Russia’s 1-0 victory over Finland and earned himself the man of the match award. However, that wasn’t enough to prevent his country finishing bottom of Group B, as they lost 4-1 to Denmark in a deciding fixture.

REMO FREULER Switzerland, midfielder, 29 Freuler started all five games for the Swiss as they made it to the quarterfinals for the first time, beating world champions France in the last 16. He was unlucky to be sent off against Spain for what was a soft red card, as the Rossocrociati went out on penalties.

Domenico Berardi in action for his Serie A club, Sassuolo

MARTEN DE ROON Holland, midfielder, 30 De Roon started three of Holland’s four games in the tournament. Despite such a positive start through the group stage, the Oranje’s campaign ended in huge disappointment against the Czech Republic in the last 16.

RDI25 @BERA GIOIA “LA MIAANDE PIÙ GREETHOME” SW O H # ME

2020 EURO CHAMPIONS

MORE THAN A A GAME

Some off-pitch issues were faintly ridiculous, like Cristiano Ronaldo’s war on fizzy drinks…

fter a year’s delay due to COVID-19, Euro 2020 finally got underway this past June with much fanfare. The latest edition of one of the most keenly followed quadrennial competitions in football was also unlike anything fans have ever seen.

For starters, rather than being hosted in one country, or perhaps two, 11 different cities across 11 countries were honoured with having matches played at their venues.

This meant that the tournament would cover thousands of kilometres, from London all the way to Baku in Azerbaijan, serving up a diverse range of football venues for those watching at home.

Yet besides the football – which largely provided great entertainment throughout – there were many off-the-pitch issues that kept fans buzzing.

For instance, who knew that a simple action

EURO 2020 SIDEBARS

MUCH OF THE FOCUS FOR EURO 2020 NATURALLY WAS ON THE PITCH, BUT THERE WERE PLENTY OF INTERESTING HAPPENINGS OFF THE PITCH THAT KEPT US ALL TALKING, WRITES MICHELLE OSEI BONSU.

48 2020 EURO CHAMPIONS ITALY

…while others, such as Manuel Neuer’s representation of LGBT+ people and UEFA’s reaction, where much more important

from Cristiano Ronaldo could wipe billions from the value of a multinational conglomerate like Coca-Cola? Sure, the soft drink giant is worth an estimated €205bn. But it didn’t go unnoticed that share prices plummeted 1.6% immediately in the aftermath of Ronaldo’s intervention, as Coke saw its market value drop to around €201bn almost straight away. It wasn’t all down to Ronaldo, but the timing was notable.

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner, during his press conference before Portugal’s clash with Hungary, moved Coca-Cola’s bottles aside and shook a bottle of water at the gathered press to urge everyone to drink water instead. Coca-Cola, who have been a corporate partner of UEFA for over 30 years, were certainly nonplussed and issued a blunt response in an attempt to quell the buzz.

That didn’t stop other players, including Paul Pogba and Manuel Locatelli, from staging copycat stunts after seeing the effect Ronaldo had. It’s safe to say that whilst their fizzy drink protest didn’t hit Coca-Cola’s finances the same way Ronaldo’s did, Coke and UEFA will be having some serious discussions on implementing measures to avoid a repeat of this at future competitions.

Elsewhere, the practice of taking a knee was a significant feature of Euro 2020. The act started in the United States with American football player Colin Kaepernick back in 2016 and became part of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement that has now taken root worldwide, following George Floyd’s untimely death at the hands of police officer Derek Chauvin in May 2020.

Italy decided to take the knee in solidarity with Belgium before the quarter-finals and England before the Final, putting Ukraine’s refusal during their quarter-final clash with the Three Lions into even starker contrast. This was hardly shocking though, as neither did Croatia nor the Czech Republic. North Macedonia, Hungary and Russia also chose not to take the knee.

Indeed, Hungary’s fans even marched with banners showing their opposition to taking a knee. As it turned out, none of the Eastern European countries featuring at this summer’s event decided to get involved, while there were several Western European nations, such as the Netherlands, Austria and Sweden, who opted instead to make their anti-racism statements in a different way.

The BLM-affiliated gesture has been quite controversial and divisive in its native United States due to the perceived political connotations. It should come as little surprise that not every European nation competing at Euro 2020 decided to participate and show their support. After all, political statements are generally frowned on by UEFA, who believe they have no place on the pitch as far as football is concerned.

That didn’t stop Germany from attempting to stage their own anti-discrimination protest, with the focus being on the LGBT+ community.

Ahead of their final group game against Hungary, Munich’s authorities decided they wanted the famed Allianz Arena lit up in rainbow colours.

June is LGBT+ Pride month, but Germany’s reasons for lighting up the stadium weren’t just because of that.

It was to make a statement against Hungary, who had recently passed some laws in their country that many felt were discriminatory towards the LGBT+ community. In addition, members of the Hungarian fan base had flown anti-LGBT+ banners during their matches against France and Portugal. Germany, as hosts, wanted to make their

euro side bars

‘THE PRACTICE OF TAKING A KNEE WAS A SIGNIFICANT FEATURE OF EURO 2020’ England were consistent in their support for Black Lives Matter throughout the tournament

stance clear. However, UEFA felt otherwise, noting that it could be perceived as a political stance and cause Hungary and their supporters’ offence.

Quite how equality is a political issue is another matter entirely. Still, Germany had other ideas despite the setback, with captain Manuel Neuer sporting a rainbow armband. Furthermore, other cities across the country decided to light up their stadiums in support of LGBT+ communities.

Finally, COVID-19 reared its ugly head again, despite many countries making a great deal of progress since the virus first appeared. Before the tournament kicked off, Spain’s skipper, Sergio Busquets, tested positive, and the Barcelona star’s diagnosis forced the entire team into isolation. Fortunately, it didn’t impact La Roja’s participation at the actual event.

England also had to deal with COVID, with both Ben Chilwell and Mason Mount forced into self-isolation after coming into contact with Scotland’s Billy Gilmour. Eventual winners Italy also had a scare in their ranks but fortunately, despite three members of the Italian media testing positive, none of the players and coaching staff were affected.

At one point, COVID became a sticking point for the English government and UEFA, with the latter threatening to move the semi-finals and the final to Hungary. The issue? Admittance of around 2,500 VIPs and other officials without having to subject them to a long quarantine period.

Not surprisingly, England’s government capitulated quickly, especially as they were faced with the prospect of losing a lot of revenue if Wembley didn’t host the semis and the final. As it turned out, the final was a wonderful spectacle as England took on Italy in a match that kept fans and neutrals alike entertained from start to finish.

Now that the latest edition of the Euros is in the books, we will have to wait another three years for another month of action featuring teams from across the continent. Who knows what other social issues and matters of interest will come to the fore in 2024, when 23 other countries and their fans will convene on Germany to battle it out for the coveted prize.

It was impossible for Euro 2020 to go ahead without COVID-19 being a factor

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2020 EURO CHAMPIONS

LEGENDARY AZZURRI WHO SAID WHAT “What a player, a phenomenon.

One of the best in his role, you deserved this cup! When people will understand the technical capacity of the defenders, the way you defend and command, they will understand that you are also a technical player!”

HERE ARE THE TOP THINGS YOU DID NOT KNOW ABOUT THE LEGENDARY AZZURRI AS WE GO BEHIND THE SCENES TO GIVE YOU THE INSIGHTS AND FUN FACTS. BE SURE TO READ ALL OF THE QUOTES FROM THOSE INVOLVED WITH THE CELEBRATION, BOTH ON AND OFF THE PITCH

THE TROPHY-LESS STREAK IS BROKEN

THREE’S COMPANY

The 53 years between Italy’s two European Championship titles (1968-2021), is the largest gap for a single side in the history of the competition.

Euro 2020 was the first edition of the European Championship where Italy scored three goals in a single match. Having never done so in the past, the Azzurri scored three goals in back-toback games, first versus Turkey then against Switzerland.

– Portuguese midfielder Bruno

Fernandes wrote a message on Instagram congratulating Chiellini and hailing the 36-year-old as a technical player.

RECORD HOLDER “We dedicate this to all Italians all over the world, because we proved once again, if it should’ve been needed, that we are a special people. It’s coming Rome, they got one letter wrong… There’s no victory without a group, and I think we showed from start to finish that we are a group and people recognize themselves in us too.”

At 34-years-old, Leonardo Bonucci is the oldest scorer in a Euro final, beating the previous record set by Bernd Holzenbein.

-Alessandro Florenzi

@NATIONALE ITALIA

dedicates the win to all Italians and also spoke of the tight-knit group they were.

EUROPEAN “WE ARE THEONS!!”

PI M A CH

GOALS, GOALS, GOALS Italy’s 13 goals scored at Euro 2020 is the country’s highest goal tally in a single edition between the World Cup and European Championship.

50 2020 EURO CHAMPIONS ITALY

INTERCEPTION MACHINE

DJ INSIGNE

Jorginho made 25 interceptions for Italy at Euro 2020.

Lorenzo Insigne acts as DJ for the team most of the time in training and on long trips. One song he played in particular was picked up by the squad and was sung frequently, “Ma Quale Dieta” (What Diet) by Neapolitan artist Luca Il Sole di Notte. One line from the song is as follows, “What diet? I like meatballs, I like pork chops, I ate at 4, now I’m hungry again and it’s only 7.”

25

LEGENDARY AZZURRI

WHO SAID WHAT “I don’t need to tell you anything, you know who you are. It’s not a fluke that we are here. We are in control of our own destiny. Not the referee, not the opponent, nobody.

You know what you need to do. You are a strong team. So good luck.”

UNDEFEATED DUO Defensive duo Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci have never lost a game under Roberto Mancini when both featured in the starting eleven.

They recorded 10 wins and 6 draws.

– Roberto Mancini’s words

during his pre-match pep talk ahead of the final against England.

CAPTAIN TWICE

PERFECT GROUP STAGE

Giorgio Chiellini played the first ever game at the new Wembley, captaining the Under-21’s in a friendly against England in March 2007. 5,223 days later, Chiellini returned to captain the senior squad, this time in the final of Euro 2020. He is the only player from that 2007 match who still actively plays football.

Euro 2020 was only the fourth time Italy won all three group stage matches in a major competition. The other three times were in 1978, 1990 and 2000.

“I knew we were going all the way, that’s why I was crying after the injury. It wasn’t pain, it was sadness and anger that I’d miss it… I cried because of what I knew that I’d be missing out on. We all knew that we were getting to that Final. Winning or not is another matter, that depends on so much, but getting there we felt invincible.”

– Leonardo Spinazzola reveals

what was going through his mind after tearing his Achilles tendon during the quarter-final with Belgium, speaking of the belief around the Italy team to be able to go all the way.

ATTACKING DEPTH Seven players scored at least one goal for Italy – Barella, Bonucci, Chiesa, Immobile, Insigne, Locatelli and Pessina.

5 HONOURS The Euro 2020 Team of the Tournament featured five Italians, Donnarumma, Bonucci, Spinazzola, Jorginho and Chiesa.

ITALY 2020 EURO CHAMPIONS 51

2020 EURO CHAMPIONS PENALTY SAVER

LIKE FATHER LIKE SON Federico Chiesa’s goal against Austria came 25 years after his father Enrico scored a goal at Euro 1996. They are the first father and son to score a goal in the history of the competition.

Gianluigi Donnarumma has won all five penalty shoot-outs he has faced, three for his club and two for his national team.

WHO SAID WHAT

“Thank you Mancini, who gave the Nazionale a style of attacking football in a difficult moment for our sport. I hope the Italy masterpiece can give enthusiasm and set the example for Italian coaches to renew and evolve their ideas.”

– Arrigo Sacchi hopes Italy’s

performances at the Euros will inspire more coaches in Italy to pursue more attacking ideas and approaches with their teams.

@NATIONALE ITALIA UROPA “CAMPIONI D’EAZZURO” TO EN IM SC #RINA

THE SECRET DATE Italy played a major final on July 11th once before this year’s Euro 2020 final. The 1982 World Cup final in which they defeated West Germany 3-1.

“Not bad to play in Serie A, my second home.

Congrats Italy.” Zlatan Ibrahimovic posted an Instagram story congratulating his second home, Italy, for winning Euro 2020.

Zlatan then followed with

THE WINNINGS

TOO NERVOUS

According to reports, the Italian football federation has earned €28.25 million for winning Euro 2020, while the players will get €250,000 each.

Gianluca Vialli could not bear to watch the penalty shoot-out against England, as the documentary following the national team showed Vialli facing the other way.

another Instagram story of Donnarumma holding the trophy and writing,

“After one year with me, you have already understood. You are welcome.” The two played at Milan together.

“I didn’t celebrate because I didn’t realize we had won. I looked at the referee, I tried to understand if VAR had given the ok and I only realized we had won when I saw my teammates celebrating.”

– Gianluigi Donnarumma explains why

he didn’t celebrate after saving Bukayo Saka’s decisive penalty, revealing he was uncertain.

FELL BEHIND Luke Shaw’s goal for England was the first time Italy trailed a match in 19 games.

WELCOME BACK After failing to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, Italy’s opening match of Euro 2020 was their first game at a major competition after 1805 days.

52 2020 EURO CHAMPIONS ITALY

LEGENDARY AZZURRI

@AZZURRI

WHO SAID WHAT

ROME! “IT’S COMING ” 20 20 O UR #E

Giorgio Chiellini has played against Spain five times at the European Championship.

He is the first footballer to play the same opponent that many times in the competition’s history.

“Personally, I suffered a lot, it was not an easy season for me. When you play such a season, things sometimes get complicated.

But I only know one method: to work and roll up your sleeves, even when things are not going well. Thanks to my teammates, the staff, all those who believed in me… we are at the top of Europe, and I could not have been repaid in a better way. We have never been afraid of not making it. From the second minute we always believed in it.”

CHIELLINI VS SPAIN

– Federico Bernardeschi was in tears

of joy after winning the European Championship, reflecting on a difficult season with Juventus leading up to the tournament.

25 OUT OF 26 25 of the 26 players on the squad played some minutes during Euro 2020. Napoli goalkeeper Alex Meret was the only player to not see any action on the pitch.

@AZZURRI ROPEAN “A DOUBLE EU N!” O PI M CHA

“What’s been happening since last night is crazy, we still don’t believe it. My phone number has become known to the public, and I have received lots of messages and calls. We tasted what we have done during the ride on the open bus. Watching the eyes of the proud fans was fantastic.”

– Ciro Immobile may have had a more

personal celebration with fans after his phone number became public.

1,168 MINUTES Prior to the goal conceded against Austria in the round of 16, Italy played 1,168 minutes without conceding, setting a new world record. Italy of course held the previous record, set back in the early 1970s under coach Valcareggi.

“When they explained to me that I would be part of the European Championship squad, Vialli then looked at me and said I would go there and I would do well anyway. In the end, it went like this and I couldn’t be happier.”

“It was all planned. I knew that Donnarumma would have saved it. I always give everything I have for the team, but unfortunately, sometimes it’s not enough. I ended up missing the penalty, and in that moment the world collapsed around me, because I wanted to hand Italy the win.

Luckily, we have this phenomenon in goal that saved me.”

– Jorginho joked that he planned to miss his

penalty against England because he knew Donnarumma would save it.

– Matteo Pessina revealed that when

he was initially left out of the squad, Gianluca Vialli reassured him that he would be part of the team eventually.

ITALY 2020 EURO CHAMPIONS 53

2020 EURO CHAMPIONS NO MORE THAN ONE Since his national debut in September 2016, Gianluigi Donnarumma has not conceded more than one goal while playing for Italy.

34 IN A ROW Italy are currently on a 34-game unbeaten streak that stretches all the way back to September 2018. The Azzurri are just one game away from tying the all-time record set by Spain and Brazil and two away from surpassing it.

WHO SAID WHAT

“We are proud to be here at the Quirinale.

Thanks to the President for being our first fan, together with the many Italians who cheered us on in London, Munich, Florence and Rome. The country is finally celebrating again, we are satisfied that we could give them these emotions, writing one of the most beautiful pages of our football history.”

– Roberto Mancini is proud to have

written one of the most beautiful pages in the country’s football history.

18 APPEARANCES Leonardo Bonucci is the Italian player with the most appearances at a European Championship. He has featured 18 times for the Azzurri.

@NATIONALE ITALIA LOVE “THINGS YOU TO SEE!”

“We won, I think deservedly. We felt something magical in the air, we’d been saying it since the start of May and we deserve it, all of Italy deserves it. It was an incredible sensation, thank you to everyone who was part of this group over three years and we dedicate it to all those players who are watching from home too…

We had Gigione! We’ve gone from Gigi to Gigio!”

– Giorgio Chiellini felt something

magical in the air since the start of the tournament and says he is lucky to have played first with Gigi Buffon and now Gigio Donnarumma.

10 STAGES Italy has now played 10 major tournament finals, 6 World Cup and 4 European Championships.

TWO OR MORE Italy are just the second country in Euros history to have as many as five players score 2 or more goals in a single edition of the tournament (Chiesa, Immobile, Insigne, Locatelli and Pessina)

“We played against England and Wales, and they were staying in their own half waiting for us. I think that Italy showed that it’s just a prejudice, what we hear. And for the Italian football in general, it’s back where we have always been, because let’s not forget that we’ve won four World Cups and now two Euros.”

– Paolo Maldini spoke of how Italy

went against their defensive stereotype and created a competitive group to bring Italy back to where they have always been on the international stage.

54 2020 EURO CHAMPIONS ITALY

WHO SAID WHAT

“Giorgio [Chiellini] told me to go up first.

I wanted to sprint up there, but was also afraid of falling over and completely embarrassing myself in the stadium. It was marvelous afterwards, so many of the lads would carry me around, from Jorginho to De Rossi and Toloi. I’m pretty heavy, so that was not easy. We are like a bunch of kids on a school trip. We play dumb pranks on each other, make fun, and have play fights, but never a row in 45 days together.”

ISIO8 @CLAMARCH ZZI CHE “DITE AI RAGAMETTANO E TT QUESTA NO I STORIA!” VIA I LIBRI D

– Leonardo Spinazzola speaks of the

embarrassing himself on international television being the first up to the podium to get his winners’ medal.

L @NDJ_OFFICIA I AND “GIVE CHIELLIN THE TH BO CI UC N BO E TH F O ER PLAY AWARD! ” T EN M A N UR TO “He will hate me for saying this, but I don’t care. Everybody needs to know this. We have among us an example that teaches us how to live, in any moment, in any situation. And I’m talking about Gianluca Vialli. For us, he’s special. Without him, and without Mancini and the other coaches, this victory would mean nothing. He is a living example. I know he’ll get angry, but I just had to say it.”

– Alessandro Florenzi expressing his

love for Gianluca Vialli and the other members of the coaching staff.

“This Italy can give joy for at least another 10 years, behind four or five elements who are no longer young, there’s a lot of material and Mancini knows how to draw from it, he knows perfectly all the players of the youth selections, even during that chat three years ago he started talking to me about the players who could have been fundamental to relaunch the national team, which is why I immediately had no doubt that he would be the right coach.”

WHO SAID WHAT “The dedication goes to those who left us in this year and a half. Among so many champions, as done for [Davide] Astori, I want to make a special dedication to Paolo Rossi, a great man. The cup is for him and the Italians who have suffered.

Today we just tried to give the dream to our fans, who wanted to stop us and had found the bus closed. With so many people around, the best solution was to give them these moments. Thanks to everyone, from the first to the last Italian.”

unity in the Azzurri team and also of his fear of

LEGENDARY AZZURRI

AS @IKERCASILL ES PARA “FELICITACION URRO ZZ @VIVO_A COPA POR LA EURO GRAN !!

DA A ST UI Q CON LIZADO!!

TORNEO REA DEL EN DISFRUT MOMENTO!! ”

– Leonardo Bonucci dedicates

the Euro win to all Italians who had suffered over the past year. He was also at the forefront of the fight with local authorities to parade the trophy in an open top bus.

“Roberto Mancini knows how to get into your head so that when a big day comes, you are ready to run through a brick wall. Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci may be the generals who have led Italy into battle during this European Championship but one man – and one man alone – will be responsible for making sure the war is won.

Mancini has a way of inspiring you, of making you feel everything will be fine. The passion runs through him to such an extent that you don’t want to let him down. He gets so emotional on the touchline that you feel obligated to go the extra yard for him.”

– Micah Richards with

words of praise for his former boss Roberto Mancini when they were both at Manchester City, speaking of his presence and ability to stir up his players.

– Costacurta, who was the Vice-

Chairman of Italy at the time of Mancini’s appointment, revealed a coffee with Roberto was enough to understand he was perfect for the rebirth of the Azzurri.

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2020 EURO CHAMPIONS

ITALIAN DEFENDING SCHOOL IS SHUT THE AZZURRI HAVE THE TALENT IN MIDFIELD AND ATTACK TO FOLLOW UP THEIR EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP TRIUMPH AT THE 2022 WORLD CUP, BUT SUSY CAMPANALE WORRIES THAT THE DEFENSIVE WELL IS RUNNING DRY

Federico Chiesa, Nicolo Barella and Gianluigi Donnarumma can inspire Italy for many years to come

I

t is fair to say that if UEFA Euro 2020 had gone ahead as planned last summer, then it might have been a little too early for this particular Italy side to thrive. Leonardo Spinazzola, Federico Chiesa and Manuel Locatelli were still too green, Domenico Berardi and Lorenzo Insigne hadn’t yet reached this level of maturity, while Jorginho and Nicolo Barella hadn’t experienced winning silverware at club level. Everything seemed to come together at the right moment for Roberto Mancini, including the fact he had an extra year to work with his squad, during which they accrued that record-breaking 34-match unbeaten run.

The 2022 World Cup is another tournament that shakes up the usual football schedule, but while the Euros were simply put back by a year, this competition is shifted to November and December 2022. In this case, it’s not the pandemic prompting the change, but rather the spectacularly stupid idea of hosting the event in Qatar. That

Gianluigi Donnarumma

56 2020 EURO CHAMPIONS ITALY

‘IT MIGHT’VE BEEN A LITTLE TOO EARLY FOR THIS PARTICULAR ITALY SIDE TO THRIVE IF EURO 2020 HAD GONE AHEAD AS PLANNED LAST SUMMER’

last word defence school

Italy went from zero to heroes at Euro 2020

means an 18-month gap between contests rather than the usual two years, and it could make a big difference to the players we’ll see representing Italy when it comes around.

Most of the Azzurri squad that lifted the European Championship trophy at Wembley Stadium are relatively young, mainly stretching from 21 to 30, with the midfield and attack particularly primed to go on working well together for some time. Gianluigi Donnarumma will get more Champions League experience under his belt at PSG, having already proved himself a reliable and remarkably confident international goalkeeper. Injuries to Marco Verratti and Alessandro Florenzi showed that there are alternatives ready to step up in Locatelli and Giovanni Di Lorenzo, while Spinazzola should hopefully be fit and ready to shine throughout the World Cup after his Euros were cruelly cut short by a torn Achilles tendon.

New centre-forwards need to emerge and be given regular playing time for their clubs, because evidently Ciro Immobile and Andrea Belotti are not cut out for the highest level. Perhaps it is the 4-3-3 formation clashing with what they are accustomed to, maybe they simply aren’t suited to international football. Whatever the reason, Italy managed to become champions of Europe without a reliable striker.

The area of real concern for Mancini is defence.

Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci are without doubt one of the key reasons behind the Euro triumph, but time stands still for no man.

‘GIORGIO CHIELLINI AND LEONARDO BONUCCI PUT ON A MASTERCLASS OF DEFENDING AT EURO 2020’ By the time the World Cup kicks off in Qatar, Chiellini will be 38 years old. He already threatens to retire every summer only to continue, and his calf muscles are like a ticking time bomb. Bonucci is going to be 35 and it has become abundantly clear that for both Italy and Juventus, he is a very different player when not paired with the rock Chiellini. Never mind being an elder statesman of the backline, Bonucci needs his teammate to provide stability and clean up errors.

It’s true that these are all criticisms leveled at the Italy defence even before and during the Euros.

Every pundit told us they were too old, too slow, would be exposed by a pacy striker, and yet none of it happened. Chiellini and Bonucci put on a masterclass of defending in the competition, showing that positioning, predicting runs and timing the interception are all far more important than merely running after forwards. And when they do manage to get by, pull the emergency rip cord and grab Bukayo Saka by the back of the neck. How odd that some English fans considered that unfair play or even a red card offence. It’s called taking one for the team and it can only be done once, so must be used judiciously. And in the final minute of injury time with the final at 1-1, it certainly was.

So perhaps the panic over aging centre-backs is unjustified to a degree, but the fact remains there aren’t many options ready to take over.

Alessandro Bastoni is going to be an excellent defender and already has the Bonucci trick of quarterback passes over the top down to a tee

at Inter, so he is learning from the master with each Italy get-together. The biggest problem is finding an heir to Chiellini, and quickly. We’ve seen he is not just essential for the team, but also to get the best out of Bonucci.

Of the alternatives we saw at the Euros, Francesco Acerbi is at best fine, but certainly not someone we can look to consistently to lead the defensive line.

Rafael Toloi was used more as a right-back than in the centre by Mancini, and has the same issue of being accustomed to a three-man defence. Gianluca Mancini could learn and develop under Jose Mourinho at Roma, but Alessio Romagnoli and Daniele Rugani’s progress has not so much stalled as gone into reverse at 60mph. Italy is where the art of defending is taught like a master’s degree, we are constantly told, but where are the next generation of classy centre-backs? The Azzurri have the talent and style to lead the way for some time at international level, but it’s in the trademark defensive solidity that they may be lacking in future.

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2020 EURO CHAMPIONS

ICONIC AZZURRI Dino Zoff was a part of the 1968 winning team

Captain Giacinto Facchetti lifting the 1968 Euro Trophy

DID YOU KNOW

The 1968 Euro team of the tournament featured five Italians, just like the 2020 edition.

Dino Zoff, captain Giacinto Facchetti, Sandro Mazzola, Angelo Domenghini and Luigi Riva.

P

rior to Euro 2020, Italy had only ever won the tournament once before in 1968. That tournament was the first under its current name of UEFA European Championship, which replaced European Nations’ Cup. With the new name, came a new qualifying format. Eight groups of seeded teams played each other twice with the top side progressing to the two-legged quarter-finals. The four winners advanced to the four-team final tournament which was being hosted in Italy. Alongside the hosts, England, USSR and Yugoslavia made up the final four. Italy were paired up against the Soviet Union in the semi-finals, a match that ended scoreless. 90 minutes wasn’t enough to settle the tie, so they headed to an additional 30 minutes of extra time. Despite the added time, a winner was still not decided, and in those days penalties

58 2020 EURO CHAMPIONS ITALY

The final where Italy beat Yugoslavia, is the only European Championship or World Cup final to go to a replay.

AZZURRI EURO HISTORY EURO 1968 HOST: Italy RECORD: 3PLD, 1W, 2D, 0L OUTCOME: Champions

EURO 1980 HOST: Italy RECORD: 4PLD, 1W, 3D, 0L OUTCOME: 4th Place

EURO 1988 HOST: Germany RECORD: 4PLD, 2W, 1D, 1L OUTCOME: 3rd Place

EURO 1996 HOST: England RECORD: 3PLD, 1W, 1D, 1L OUTCOME: Group Stage

EURO 2000 HOST: Germany-Holland RECORD: 6PLD, 4W, 1D, 1L OUTCOME: Finalists

EURO 2004 HOST: Portugal RECORD: 3PLD, 1W, 2D, 0L OUTCOME: Group Stage

EURO 2008 HOST: Austria-Switzerland RECORD: 4PLD, 1W, 2D, 1L OUTCOME: Quarter-Finalist

EURO 2012 HOST: Poland-Ukraine RECORD: 6PLD, 2W, 3D, 1L OUTCOME: Finalists

EURO 2016 HOST: France RECORD: 5PLD, 3W, 1D, 1L OUTCOME: Quarter-Finalist

EURO 2020 were not introduced. So how were they going to determine the winner of this semi-final matchup?

By a coin toss of course. A coin toss that Italy won, and with that progressed to the finals in Rome.

Now, only Yugoslavia stood in their way to claiming the trophy. Yugoslavia were the better side and took a 1-0 lead to half-time. Italy fought back though and managed to equalize with 10 minutes left. The match would end 1-1, and so as was the case back then, Italy forced a replay which was to be played two days later. “To be honest, we didn’t deserve to draw,” admitted goalkeeper Dino Zoff. Coach Ferruccio Valcareggi brought in Sandro Mazzola and Luigi Riva for the rematch.

Riva would score alongside Pietro Anastasi as Italy saw off Yugoslavia and won the match 2-0. “We definitely deserved to win that game,” added Zoff.

Unlike the first match, Italy dominated the replay and were able to claim the trophy.

HOST: Europe RECORD: 7PLD, 5W, 2D, 0L OUTCOME: Champions The Azzurri did not enter EURO 1960, and did not qualify for EURO 1964, 1972, 1976, 1984, 1992

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