IT'S COMING ROME
Heroes’ reception in Eternal City:
IN the dark days of 2017, the prospect of an Italian renaissance that would see the Azzurri crowned kings of europe four years later would have been best filed somewhere between fanciful and delusional.
Back then, the worst fears of a proud footballing nation had just been fully realised when the final whistle sounded on a grim 0-0 draw with Sweden in Milan.
Losing the play-off 1-0 on aggregate meant the Italians had failed to qualify for a World Cup for the first time since 1958. the following morning’s papers carried headlines describing their team’s absence from a major finals as a ‘National Shame’ and ‘Apocalypse.’
And the tears that were openly shed in the San Siro stands that November evening had been accompanied by mutiny in the dugout.
When defensive midfielder Daniele de Rossi was asked to warm up by a member of manager Gian Piero Ventura’s staff, he reacted angrily to the demand, appearing to say: ‘Why should I go on? We don’t need a draw, we need a win.’
Ventura was swiftly sacked that same night after a hastily-called and very stormy meeting of the Italian Football Federation.
So it was against this chaotic backdrop that Roberto Mancini arrived in 2018 — and immediately raised eyebrows by stating his intention to restore the Italian national team ‘back to the top of the world’.
his first Nations League campaign began with a draw against Poland and a defeat to Portugal in September 2018.
But look at them now. If not quite back on top of the world, he has made them kings of europe just a year ahead of a crack at the World Cup in Qatar.
his modernised, thrilling Italian side have not lost a game in 34 matches since that loss to the Portuguese, culminating in Sunday’s dramatic penalty shootout win over england at Wembley.
the 56-year-old former Manchester City manager — famous for his impeccable dress sense — has indeed, against all odds, succeeded in his aim of making Italian football fashionable again.
Yet there was a deeper symbolism that lay behind Italy’s unlikely rise from the footballing floor and back to the pinnacle of the european game.
A nation that suffered as much as any other during the current global Covid-19 pandemic, Mancini had declared before the tournament and during lockdown that ‘the Italian national team is a symbol of a country that in difficult moments has always known how to get up again’.
In the circumstances, delivering a first european Championship title for the country in 53 years was always going to be emotional for the tear-stained boss.
‘It (crying) was the emotion which happens after achieving something incredible,’ he said. ‘It was the emotion of seeing the guys celebrate and the fans in the stands.
‘We are delighted for the people and for the Italian public because they really deserve this after what has been a trying period. this is great joy for us. ‘Winning the european Championship for the first time since 1968 and bringing home the trophy — I do think it is something incredible.’ In coaching a team who were unquestionably the best at euro 2020, Mancini answered those critics who believed his managerial career would be all downhill after leaving Manchester City. he had steered the club to a first league title in 44 years but was sacked in 2013 after an FA Cup final defeat to Wigan Athletic. Mancini subsequently had spells at Galatasaray, Inter Milan and Zenit St Petersburg before taking over the Italian national team. But winning euro 2020 also brought personal redemption for Mancini in other ways. As a player, for example, he suffered the pain of finishing third in the World Cup on home soil in 1990, having previously been a runner-up at the Under-21 european Championship in 1986. Sunday’s triumph may have gone a long way to banishing his ghosts. ‘I was due this,’ he said. ‘I was very fortunate to play in a great (Italy) side in 1990 and a terrific Under-21 team. ‘Despite the fact we were the best team, we didn’t win it and we lost both times on penalties. ‘I also cried on this ground 30 years ago after the 1992 european Cup final (when Sampdoria lost 1-0 to Barcelona at Wembley). that really hurt. ‘So it really is great seeing everything that we have managed to create, all of the hard work we have put in over the last three years, but specifically the last 50 days which have been very hard.
‘We have created something which can never be separated going forward. they (his Italy players) will always be synonymous with this triumph.’
After captaining the country to glory at Wembley, grizzled defender Giorgio Chiellini said he had felt the Azzurri’s triumph was written in the stars.
‘A few tears fell,’ admitted the 36-year-old Juventus defender.
‘We all deserved it. At this age, we realise even more what it means to win such a trophy.
‘We have been saying that something magical is in the air since the end of May, day after day we have been saying it.’
If Chiellini’s hauling back of england’s Bukayo Saka during extra-time was classic Azzurri cynicism — and potentially worthy of more than his yellow card — keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma was the epitome of Italian cool.
After saving consecutive penalties from Jadon Sancho and Saka, he walked off the Wembley pitch with the swagger of a man far older than his 22 years. Not for him, a manic celebration that the moment demanded.
his performance — and his demeanour — immediately drew comparisons with legendary keeper Gianluigi Buffon, winner of the World Cup with Italy in 2006 and holder of a record 176 caps.
‘I was lucky because I played with Gianluigi Buffon, now I play with Gigi Donnarumma — it is the same,’ said Italy defender Leonardo Bonucci, whose secondhalf goal cancelled out Luke Shaw’s early opener for england.
‘No, Buffon is the strongest of all, the number one. he remains the greatest of all,’ countered Donnarumma, who will join Paris Saint-Germain from AC Milan this summer and has time and talent on his side to challenge the legend of Buffon.
Naturally, Donnarumma and the rest of the victorious Italy squad touched down in Rome yesterday to wild acclaim in the eternal City.
the transformation of the Azzurri from being hated in 2017 to feted in 2021 was officially complete.
But the next chapter in this Italian footballing renaissance story starts here.
Locked out of the party in Russia in 2018 they may have been.
But miracle worker Mancini and his group of Gladiators must now be considered among the favourites to win the World Cup next year in Qatar.
those words he uttered three years ago could yet come true.