Italy crowned Euro 2020 champions

Donnarumma shines as Italy beat England in penalties to win Euro 2020

Italy kicked off the start of Euro 2020 and perhaps it is only fitting that the last image of this tournaments is the Italians finally lifting the trophy after eight previous attempts.

It was no easy feat as the side managed by Roberto Mancini were taken all the way to penalties before Gianluigi Donnarumma put on his cape once again and emerged the hero.

More from Playing for 90

• Alexia Putellas reaches 400 games with Barcelona
• Everything you need to know ahead of the 250th ‘Super Clásico’
• Barcelona put five past Real Betis
• Manchester City suffer but come away with win over West Ham
• Baffling Liga MX ruling strips Puebla of a hard-earned victory

However, early on, it would have been a small miracle if this game went all the way to penalties. Italy found themselves down a goal in just the second minute of the game as Luke Shaw completed what was a lethal counterattack by England to go a goal in front.

England didn’t make things easy for Italy as they were content to sit deep and protect their lead. The Italians were unable to create anything in the final third nor produce a shot to trouble Jordan Pickford.

Frustration was setting in until they achieved a breakthrough in the 67th minute thanks to a set piece. A cross in from a corner was deflected and headed by Marco Verratti. His shot hit Pickford, then the post, before Leonardo Bonucci knocked in the loose ball at close range.

Italy were on the front foot by then but England never broke in regulation nor in extra time. They were helped by the fact that Federico Chiesa, arguably Italy’s best player, had to be subbed off due to injury.

With the score unchanged, the game went to penalties.

Italy were coming off a win in penalties against Spain whereas this was England’s first.

Italy blinked first as Andrea Belotti missed his penalty. But Donnarumma stepped up and not only bailed out Belotti but won it for Italy as England missed three straight penalties. Donnarumma saved two of the three with as the one taken by Marcus Rashford hit the post.

Just as he was in the shootout with Spain, the soon-to-be PSG keeper once again proved to be a key figure.

Italy were crowned Euro 2020 champions and the way they did it was by sticking to their plan and not being phased by the early goal.

“We have done something extraordinary,” Donnarumma said. “We are happy. We didn’t give up a millimeter. You all know where we started from. We are a fantastic team and we deserve it.

“The goal we conceded at the very start could have done for us, but we are not a team that gives up. It wasn’t easy but we were spectacular, great. We dominated for a large part of the game. We deserve all this.”

In the tournament as a whole, Italy were the best team throughout. They impressed in the group stage and while they had their uneasy moments during the knockout phase, against Spain the most clear example, they managed to pull through. Which is a sign of a tournament winning team.

It is the culmination of the work done by Mancini to get his team to buy into him and instill a belief that they could win Euro 2020.

“It was impossible even to just consider this at one stage, but the guys were just amazing,” Mancini said. “I have no words for them, this is a wonderful group. This was a difficult game made a lot harder after their early goal. Apart from that early spell, we dominated the match.”

As for England, they are going to feel hard done by the loss in penalties and believe everything was set up for a win. They were playing at home in Wembley and had only given up one goal so far.

They will look at it as a missed opportunity considering they went a goal up within two minutes. But the conservative style of play by Gareth Southgate ended up costing them where before, it could be pointed to as a reason why they were in the final to begin with.

His substitutions didn’t work and he waited too long to introduce some fresh legs to run at the Italy defense and midfield who had a number of their players already on a booking.

Two of the substitutes he made in extra time, minutes before the penalty shootout, were Jadon Sancho and Rashford. Both went on to miss their attempts.

Italy are deserved winners and remained relatively calm and composed both when they were down a goal and after they equalized. After coming so close in the past and then missing out on the 2018 World Cup, the Euro 2020 championship means a lot and something they won’t soon forget.

“History. It’s a dream come true. Really, it’s unbelievable,” said Italy captain Giorgio Chiellini. “We felt some magic in the air when we started this run. It grew day by day. We looked at the image of Cannavaro holding the cup [the 2006 FIFA World Cup] in our minds and it brought us luck.”