by Victor Caneva
All photographs courtesy of Victor Caneva
The whole of Italy held its breath as 19 year-old England midfielder Bukayo Saka lined up to take his nation’s final and decisive penalty. Two nations, both desperate to emerge from their respective footballing shortcomings and the ravages of Covid-19, watched on with a potent mixture of hope and anxiety. Saka, understandably nervous, paused, took some quick steps, and struck the ball. As the ball bounced off the formidable outstretched arms of Italy keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, Italy erupted in ecstasy!
This was my first major football competition as a card-carrying Italian and it was truly special witnessing the jubilation in our city as Italy triumphed.
I arrived at Piazza Venezia just after Donnarumma saved Saka’s penalty and there were scenes of glee and pandemonium. The sounds of revving engines, air horns, shouts of joy, and the “Po Po Po Po Po Po” of the hook from the White Stripes’ Seven Nation Army, Italy’s unofficial fan chant, filled the air.
Smoke from flares gave the piazza a surreal feel as Triestini celebrated Italy’s first European Championship victory since 1968.
Excited to support my national team (especially now that I have one that’s decent at football – sorry team USA. No offence!), I had eagerly watched each of Italy’s Euro 2020 games and was truly caught up in the team’s unexpected yet warranted success.
UEFA Euro 2020 was a special tournament for several reasons. First of all, it took place a year later than it was supposed to because of Covid-19. The most prestigious international football tournament besides the World Cup, Euro 2020 gave fans across Europe a welcome diversion, a reason to smile and hope after a year and a half of hardship.
As the competition progressed, teams that exemplified unity and teamsmanship prevailed against teams that were stronger on paper, but did not play with the cohesion of their more passionate opponents.
This sense of determined brothers-in-arms taking down football juggernauts, such as when Switzerland eliminated superstar-loaded France, the reigning world champions, makes for football magic.
In my opinion, Italy and England (although Switzerland makes a strong case), embodied this palpable sense of unity more than any other teams in the tournament. That is why I was so happy to see these two squads battle for the trophy in the final.
Euro 2020 was the first tournament Italy has been involved in since tragically failing to qualify for the 2018 World Cup – the first time in 60 years they had not qualified for the competition to end all competitions. Italian media derided the team and especially the coaching staff, literally labeling their failure to qualify as “apocalyptic.” Italian football had reached an unprecedented low and fans began to lose their zeal for the Azzurri.
Coach Roberto Mancini, who was appointed after the World Cup fiasco, has overseen a remarkable transformation of the Italian national team. Youth has been mixed with experience and Italy, who has always been strong defensively, has added a dynamic offense to their game. Italy had never scored more than two goals in an European Championship, but scored three goals on two occasions during Euro 2020.
The team worked together with an infectious passion to beat the odds, rising from the ashes of 2018 to be crowned European Champions and regaining the love of their countrymen. I’m not superstitious, but I’d like to add that Italy has never lost a game since I’ve been an Italian citizen…
England has always had a tortuous relationship with football. Although football was invented in Britain, England has not had much success on the international stage, having only ever won one major international tournament, the 1966 World Cup. I get a lot of my footballing news from British press and I enjoy reading the sometimes neurotic discussions about the national team, especially as the Three Lions have steadily improved in recent years.
I must admit it can be tiring repeatedly hearing about all the pain and hurt England’s football team has suffered over the years, but it has been exciting to see manager Gareth Southgate mold the group of supremely talented and mostly young players that make up the England squad into a united group who are on an upward trajectory.
So as I sat down to watch the final I was filled with excitement. I had the potential to witness Italy win their first European Championship in 53 years in Italy as an Italian. Pizza in hand, the referee blew the whistle, and the teams were off to the races.
England started incredibly strongly and, like the rest of Italy, I felt like I had been punched in the stomach less than two minutes later when England defender Luke Shaw volleyed an amazing cross from Kieran Trippier into the back of the Italian net. This was not how this was supposed to go. England remained the stronger side for much of the first half, but their intensity began to wane.
Hope was restored in the 67th minute when legendary Italian defender Leonardo Bonucci slammed the rebound from Marco Verratti’s header past England’s keeper, Jordan Pickford. Italy regained confidence and continued to attack, but neither side could find the goal again for the remainder of the game or the ensuing 30 minutes of extra time. EURO 2020 would be decided by the most nervy of affairs, a nail-biting penalty shootout.
The shootout was a doozy of an emotional roller coaster. I experienced joy when Domenico Berardi slotted in the first penalty, horror when Andrea Belotti had his spot kick blocked, relief when English forward Marcus Rashford scuffed his attempt into the post, and doom when penalty specialist Jorginho had his shot uncharacteristically blocked by Pickford. But these feelings all morphed into exhilaration as Gianluigi Donnarumma, later named player of the tournament, saved a second penalty in a row, ensuring the Azzurri’s victory and throwing Italy and Trieste into a euphoric frenzy.
Exultant crowds roared in Piazza Venezia! One especially elated fan, standing on a table, led the swelling mass of people below him in cheers as he triumphantly waved the Italian Flag. Rivers of people from three to eighty three poured out onto the Rive and started making their way toward Piazza Unita d’Italia.
I did the same, surrounded by a cacophony of car horns, cries and chants. Decked out fans blew air horns while standing in the middle of the road as they gestured joyfully to the cars passing inches from them, also full of shouting fans. Scenes like these are usually only experienced from afar, from the cold distance of a television set. To be immersed in a celebration five decades in the making was wonderfully surreal.
Piazza Unita was packed and the celebrations picked up steam. Fireworks were shot from near Molo Audace to the delight of onlookers, red flares filled the center of the square with eerie light, and smoke wafted through the rapturous assembly. Groups of friends and strangers jumped and shouted, sometimes with friends precariously balanced on their shoulders and young men climbed the bases of streetlamps and rejoiced.
Although I’m sure many of these revellers were genuinely excited about their national football team, I’m confident that these scenes held a deeper significance. There has not been much to rejoice about in Italy lately. Many of the smiling faces swarming around me had experienced very real emotional loss or financial struggle or had precious dreams deferred in this unprecedented time. The Azzurri had not just won Euro 2020 – they had given a nation something to cheer for. Italians were seizing the opportunity to celebrate having something to celebrate and it was exhilarating to witness.
