LAST UPDATE | 11 Jul 2021
ITALY INFLICTED MORE penalty heartache on England to win Sunday’s Euro 2020 final 3-2 in a shoot-out, Bukayo Saka missing the decisive kick to deny the hosts after the game at Wembley had ended in a draining 1-1 draw through extra time.
Saka’s kick was repelled by Gianluigi Donnarumma to give Italy the Henri Delaunay trophy for the second time at the end of a shoot-out in which England scored their first two penalties but then saw Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho also fail.
Jorginho could have won it for Italy only for his penalty to be saved by Jordan Pickford, giving renewed hope to the England support who had earlier created a febrile atmosphere with their team looking set to run away with this final.
The nerve-shredding climax seemed unlikely given the way the match began, with Luke Shaw scoring for Gareth Southgate’s England after just one minute and 57 seconds, the fastest goal ever in a European Championship final stunning a team who arrived here on a record 33-match unbeaten run.
Italy were shell-shocked and struggled to recover in a stadium where the official attendance was 67,173 but more England fans clearly managed to enter after disgraceful scenes when supporters without tickets stormed the gates.
Serious questions will be asked about security — the game was also briefly held up by a pitch invader late on — but English fans were obviously desperate to see their team finally win a major tournament for the first time since the 1966 World Cup.
Italy, though, had most of the possession after falling behind and ultimately deserved their equaliser when it came midway through the second half through Leonardo Bonucci.
Leonardo Bonucci levels up the #EURO2020 final from close range.
— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) July 11, 2021
Game on now!#ITA 1-1 #ITA#RTESoccer #ITAENG #ENG #ITA
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With no further scoring, this was the first European Championship final to be decided on penalties since 1976.
It is more penalty agony for England, whose list of previous shoot-out exits included losing to Italy at Euro 2012 as well as in the Euro 96 semi-finals against Germany when Southgate missed the crucial kick.
While their 55-year wait to win another major international title goes on, Italy’s own particular half-century of hurt is over.
The Azzurri have won four World Cups but their sole European Championship triumph before this dated back to 1968.
They had lost two European Championship finals in little over two decades, with the agony of losing to France via a golden goal in Rotterdam in 2000 and then being torn apart by Spain in 2012, going down 4-0 in Kiev.
Roberto Mancini’s team had an extra day’s rest in between the semi-finals and this final but they appeared completely unprepared for the experience that awaited them in London.
England’s baying supporters created a hostile atmosphere, and that combined with Southgate’s tactical choices seemed to catch the Italians off guard.
England brought back Kieran Trippier in place of Saka in the only change from their semi-final, reverting to a five-man defence.
Within two minutes the choice of system paid dividends as England broke forward, Harry Kane opening the play up to Trippier, who crossed from the right to the far post where the arriving Shaw scored on the half-volley.
Started and finished by Luke Shaw. What a time for the Manchester United full-back to score his first international goal#ita 0-1 #eng#EURO2020 final #RTESoccer #ITAENG #ENG #ITA
— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) July 11, 2021
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Italy, who had not been behind all tournament, were stunned and the only surprise was that England did not try to press home their obvious superiority.
Instead they allowed Mancini’s side to have the ball, confident they could withstand whatever was thrown at them.
England were rarely seriously troubled in the first half even if Federico Chiesa remained a danger.
It was a rather different story in the second half once Mancini had turned to his bench, notably replacing hapless striker Ciro Immobile and sending on Domenico Berardi.
As the game opened up, Chiesa probed again and forced a save from Pickford, before a John Stones header from Trippier’s corner was tipped over by Donnarumma.
The equaliser arrived in the 67th minute. Marco Verratti stooped to meet a corner with a header that Pickford tipped onto the post, but Bonucci was on hand to score the rebound and celebrated with the Italy fans massed at that end of Wembley.
Italy then lost the outstanding Chiesa to injury. Lorenzo Insigne did not last into extra time either, and Verratti came off too.
England, meanwhile, sent on Jack Grealish in the hope of a bit of magic, but it would come down to penalties, and more gut-wrenching disappointment for them.
© – AFP, 2021
A nation breaths a sigh of relief.
@James Heffernan: another nation begins a night of public offences and hooliganism
@James Heffernan: so so happy, couldnt have happened to a more deserving bunch of fans!!!!!!!
@James Heffernan: a very sad oppressed nation
@Fintan O’Halloran: not beginning unfortunately continuing.
@Fintan O’Halloran: cos Italian fans are renowned for their good behaviour
@Fintan O’Halloran: not Dublin again
@ed w: v good at the occasional stabbing I believe.
@Fintan O’Halloran: and a hangover of Delta variant to follow
@ed w: exactly Sean cox’s family would totally disagree.
@Fintan O’Halloran: Why change habits of a lifetime? English soccer supporters, what more can you expect?
@Paul Gorry: are you a spokes person. Quite isolated realky, let’s not generalise by taking the actions of a couple of bad people and conflating that against a whole nation.
@Fintan O’Halloran: that already started this afternoon
@Seagoat returns: exactly as an england fan I’m not rushing around the streets of Limerick smashing up the place.
@Nigel Barlow: That very wise of you.
@James Heffernan: a continent breathes a sign of relief
@Paul Gorry: no need to bring his situation in when people are having banter
@Seagoat returns: precisely. Applies to both nations.
@James Heffernan: hope you mean Ireland
@Nigel Barlow: Italy are not that good
@Nigel Barlow: is there anything left to smash up in Limerick?
@Nigel Barlow: You really should though.. you’d only improve the place.
@Hugo Bugo: You’re right. England is a sad and oppressed nation after it lost to Italy on penalties.
@Seagoat returns: A couple of bad people
The Italians a great bunch of lads
England deserved to lose for playing so negative however I’d feel bad for saka. Can’t understand giving the last pen to a 19 year old with only 1 full season of prem under his belt
@Tomas Ryan: it’s ridiculous that it fell on him
@Tomas Ryan: exactly grealish , Shaw, stones all went hiding, leaving that pen to that kid who will get slaughtered now for it, tbh Rashford, sancho and saka, 3 absolutely awful penalties
@Tomas Ryan: All you had to do was look at the expression on his face he looked terrified. My heart went out to him.
@Tomas Ryan: 100% those 3 young lads were left for the Wolves by Southgate. They will get slaughtered now
@Tomas Ryan: I wouldn’t have Maguire taking one either and he smashed in top corner. Saka must be a good penalty taker but obviously didn’t show it.
@Hugo Bugo: Don’t think it was down to Grealish, Stones or Shaw, Manager made a mess of that
@Tomas Ryan: Agreed. Looked out of his depth all night.
@Tomas Ryan: called Desperation!!
@Tomas Ryan: true but also comes down to who wants to take one,would of though Sterling better call than saka but alot just don’t fancy taken one
@Tomas Ryan: Happens all the time in finals if one team scores early. Start to think defensive. Italy were no great shakes on the night but desrerved to equalize. And probably best team overall in tournament.
Choice of England penalty takers very odd.
@Tomas Ryan: Great managerial decision by Sir Gareth
@Hugo Bugo: I don’t think he’ll get slaughtered, I think most ask asking the question why he’s been given the pressure penalty
@Tomas Ryan: if you’re good, you’re good. If a 19 year old can’t score from 12 yards, with both feet, he should chat with
Christy Brown
@Warren Mcdermott: Southgate probably thought it too much of a risk to let Sterling take one in case he fell on the run up.
@Davy Fitzpatrick: yep
@Damien Byrne: already getting racially abused online by his own fans
congratulazioni italia
@murt de murty: football just gave two rings, it’s in home safely.
Footballs going to ROME
@David Spiteri: yawn.
@Nigel Barlow: Ah time for your beddy bye byes
@Franny Ando: yawn Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz
@Nigel Barlow: Have a lie down.
@Nigel Barlow: Sop it into ya Gary Barlow!
@David Spiteri: Rome or roam? Bottlers playing at home
@Ultan Corcoran: is Ken Barlow is Gary Barlow Da?
@Seagoat returns: yup and I’m his grandfaither. As an aside Jason orange was born in the same suburb of Manchester as I was. But then so was Myra Hindley.
@Nigel Barlow: OK so and what is your plan going forward?
@Seagoat returns: zzzzzzzzzzzzzz
@Seagoat returns: refer XTC.
How many Lions? 3.
How many penalties missed in a row? Also 3.
Absolutely delighted, English fans deserve nothing
Grealish and Rice are still l0sers!!!! Forza Italia
@Aidan: I don’t care if I’m obsessed. Seeing them upset for England is beautiful
@Aidan: He’s right.
@Eoin Fitzgerald: your such a sad individual being angry because 2 boys born in England wanted to pay for their home country and even with begging didn’t want to play for Ireland, lol
@Eoin Fitzgerald: Qatar is next November
@Richard Cronin: another chance for England to embarrass themselves
@Eoin Fitzgerald: better any day than waiting to be capped and would still be waiting.
@Eoin Fitzgerald: at least they’ll more than likely qualify,now as for the ROI h’mm I wonder
@Eoin Fitzgerald: they would never have lost a final with Ireland!!!
@Hugo Bugo: they turned their back on us when they started to get fame. They got what they deserve for their loyalty.
@Eoin Fitzgerald: nothing embarrassing about being second in Europe
@EillieEs: coming ‘second’ is irrelevant. They won as much as North Macedonia
@Eoin Fitzgerald: Quislings
@EillieEs: “if you ain’t first you’re last”
@Hugo Bugo: no, people are upset because they wore the green jersey and then defected.
I’m delighted that it ended in tears.
@Eoin Fitzgerald: at least they get the chances.
@Sean O Callaghan: ? Ref Hugo bogo’s response above.
@Brendan Gleeson: that’s still above ireland though.
@Aidan: So?
@Eoin Fitzgerald: getting to a major tournament final and losing on penalties is hardly embarrassing..how does it equate to Ireland of late?
@Charlie Murphy: we know we are poor at the moment but getting to laugh at England get knocked out of every major tournament makes it a little easier to accept
@Eoin Fitzgerald: if Rice and Grealush stayed with lreland rgey would be celebrating tonight
@Eoin Fitzgerald: If Rice and Grealish stayed with lreland they would be celebrating tonight
@Eoin Fitzgerald: Ya, right. They lost a European final playing for their country of birth and the country of their parents birth. They chose not to play for the country of a percentage of their grandparents birth. They must be gutted for not being part of the team that lost to Luxembourg recently!! I’m sure they’d love to be part of an association where the International underage teams are asked to pay for their jerseys! It’s fine though we managed to poach Duffy & McClean from another Association to replace them so all’s fair in love, war & football!
Well Done Italy so well deserved.
As for England. Have a bit more respect for each nations national Anthem.
Karma
It’s NOT coming home, it’s going to ROME !!!!
That didn’t do my nerves any good. Delighted for Italy but dread to think what will happen in London tonight after earlier scenes.
I can’t stop laughing.
@a: I’ve broken out the expensive Brandy
Looks like that bank holiday ain’t happening..
All the talk of the depth of class in the English squad and its 3 youngest players take penalties. Southgate showing his own inexperience.
Southgate is a poor coach. Threw young attacking players to the wolves, who would have thought it. Himself and Roberto martinez are the two biggest charlatans in football, insulated by class squads, but you still need a bit of nous at this level, of which he has none.
Italy were probably the best team over the whole tournament. Spain’s performance against Italy was probably the best performance in one game.
@Thomas O’ Donnell: World cup, Italy, Spain and Brazil.
@Sean O’Toole: Some people on Sky News saying that England could win the World Cup
Sweet justice . Shameful fans deserve nothing.
@ChadChaderson: there’s millions of fans not just the ones you see on tv. I don’t believe that all Irish are badly behaved because something kicks off in Dublin but should I do so now?
@Nigel Barlow: There is millions more fans but the world see booing when italy walked out, booing national anthems, booing during penalties, breaking into the national stadium, and plenty of vids going around ….. It follows the english football team around. No problems with rugby or cricket supporter’s in comparison. That minority dont do the majority of fans or the team justice.
@Paul Hedderman: at least you’ve ack that it’s a minority and not all fans.
The riots will make good TV…
I pity the residents. Neither the players nor the local people need that lot on the rampage.
@Shane McGrath:
My family in Canada have told me they are rioting in Ontario and going crazy.
Not England fans, Italians, fair bit of damage done.
Why can’t they just celebrate without this Ultra rubbish?…
Sorry for the players but sky and the BBC just had enough listening to them.
@Ken Hoey: they were so confident at half time……
Thank you baby Jesus….
@Oliver Walker: And his wee donkey:)
@Franny Ando: who’s probably Irish and should be playing for ireland.
@Nigel Barlow: Ah I don’t think so. He took the last penalty for England.
Better team won…. Simple as … Sorry for the English player’s they are honest… the carry on of many of their supporters today in London insulting the Italian nation and flag, they deserved to miss any celebrations of a win
Bellisimo
Like a dream
Better team won
@Greg: grazie mille thanks
@Giovanni Casermaggio: Prego!
Thank god
Forza Italia well deserved win
Italian job.
Hook the Sasanch tears to my veins!
@Phil O’ Meara: comment of the day!
Yesssssssss it’s going to Rome
Super Match, Better team win, congratulations to Italy . Football ain’t going home TG
Grealish the turncoat featured in the defeat
@Jimmy Jones: the kn0b. Grealish was born in England , was never capped by Ireland even though the manager at the time had ample opportunity, why wouldn’t he declare for England. All you have to do is look at the present Irish midfield to see he made the right choice for himself.
@Mark Sheehan: but wasn’t his grandmothers cow Irish?
@Mark Sheehan: he played for Ireland under age.
@Jimmy Jones: turncoat? An Englishman playing for England, the nerve of him
@Nigel Barlow: Think you’re getting mixed up with the grand-udder rule
@Damien Leahy: and by the letter of the law he was entitled to change as he was not capped at senior level. Get over it Laporte did exactly the same declaring for Spain as they obviously didn’t rate him in France.
Southgate said Germany win driven by ww2. Give us a new quote Gareth??
@Jimmy Jones: tell me he didn’t bring up WW2 !!!!
Hon the booiisss!!! England got what they deserved for such negative football.
@Conor Houlihan: yeah , they should have went on in the first half and scoring another goal to finish the goal.
That’s what happens when you don’t pick Jonjo Shelvey….
Will somebody pick sterling off the ground he gave the night on it
37 year old chilini was never troubled . Crazy to give saka a spot kick , rashford and s ancho penno s were terrible , but it has to be said , Italy were superior technically .
Italy thanks so much.england had everything going for them and they still bottled it.
Why are UK playing Euro after Brexit?
@Sid: exactly the UK are well out of it…
@Sid: the same way isreal, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Russia are…
@Sid: why are u sooo thick.
@Sid: They left the EU not UEFA
@Sid: Something to do with the Eurovision song contest ha it’s coming home bull,,,,
@Sid: is it the EU championship? Wake up
@Sid: because it’s European championship not EU
Si..si campioni…..
It’s coming Rome , it’s coming Rome, footballs coming Rome!!
Brilliant late substititions by Gareth…
I thought it was coming home??
@Munster1: never does for Munster I’m afraid.
@Nigel Barlow: Nigel you are losing this battle lad, chin up
I love football
Italy the better team after the second minute, Southgate needs to answer why Sako was sent up to take the fifth kick with Stones, Shaw and Sterling all there. A very young man with a bright future in the game is going to get slaughtered on social media while more experienced players stood on halfway twiddling their thumbs. Couldn’t understand taking Henderson off either. He’d have been a much better player than Sako to take the last kick.
@David Lawlor: The last penalty Henderson took for England , he missed.
@David Lawlor: Henderson had a nightmare when he came on…passes going all over the place, iut of play….the sub was subbed
They think it’s coming to Rome, it is now!!!
Its going home
I can sleep easy tonight and not listen to anymore its coming home. Now back to club football o yea.
@Ken Hoey: back to supporting your English teams..sad
Cowardly negative performance from England at home in Wembley, thinking that they could preserve a goal lead for the whole match, who did they think they were, Italy?
La vita è bella
Best team of the tournament the azzurri, crazy substitutions by England.
Italy only team trying to win, well deserved
They think it’s all over, it is now
Football coming rome
It’s coming Rome, it’s coming Rome, it’s coming – football’s coming Rome!
It’s coming home alone, again.
King Billy won’t be happy up North.
@Noel Martin: isn’t there a Northern Ireland team? Or has that folded as the republic keep nicking their players
Chiellini can take Kane out of his back pocket now. Feel sorry for Saka. Should never have been put in that position at 19 and two mins on the pitch. Great tournament from England though, a really good side, probably top 4 in Europe right now behind Italy, France and Spain.
This is almost as good as ourselves winning the thing!
Don’t be upsetti…..eat some spaghetti
@Warren kennedy: Eat Pasta Run Fasta
@Warren kennedy: love it.
Better team won but Jeeze some of the comments on here,yes we’re a small country obviously full of small minded people
Let’s put this into perspective, England came second out of all Europe. It’s a major achievement….
Apparently it’s not coming home now
Classy how the english fans left their players in theyur hour of need.
Best team won and thank God, thank Allah, thank Buddha for that
Living in Grenoble which has a large Italian population, I can hear the car horns, the people screaming with delight even now at 01:24 in the morning.
Not to worry, English still have their “Freedom Day” coming up!!! Absolutely delighted for Italy yeeeaaahh!!!!!
It’s the EUs fault !
Looked like Southgate asked Grealish to take a penalty and he opted out. Poor Saka.
@Tony: probably still suffering the after effects of the boots up kick to the side of his knee earlier on. You know that time when the Italian player then went to ground. Feigning injury so as not to get a red card. And it worked.
@Nigel Barlow: Nige, best team won . Simple as that
@Nigel Barlow: thought it was a deserved kick up the arss he got, but those studs in the thigh will be evident tomorrow
@Nigel Barlow: Maybe he shouldn’t he and England shouldn’t have been there in the first place seeing as Sterling went to ground with little or no contact in the semi. Ain’t karma a bîțćh?
Ben fatto Italia
Blame it on Brexit
It’s going Rome, it’s going Rome football going Rome
Well that’s it all over. Good luck to England and Ireland in next year’s World Cup!…..Oh hang on a minute…..
@Malcolm Smith: oh oh spaghettios
@Malcolm Smith: England has the same number of European titles as Ireland
@Sam Murray: see you at the World Cup!!
Hard Luck England. Apologies for all the Bigots hiding in these comments, who will all be woke as F tomorrow again. Good old Green Eyed Irish Envy. Some things never change
@Parked: I will drop up those pallets tomorrow morning, good lad..
Italy were the best team in the tournament. No matter who the opponents were Italy deserved victory in Euro 2020
Saka is getting racially abused online already. Disgraceful
Brexit’s pay back time
Now all the Liverpool and Man U shirts can come out again!
So sorry for England
Let’s put this in pestictive. England came second out of all of Europe. Eat it up…
@John Edward: Pestictive? wtf?
@Sean O’Doherty: easy for you to say.
@John Edward: nobody remembers losers
As an England supporter I salute Italy, they deserved the win.
Dreadful tactics by Southgate.
7 defensive players, Lingard left at home and Sancho, Saka, Bellingham, Foden and Grealish on the bench.
Southgates fear of losing is preventing England from Winning.
When you’re up against ageing players like Chielini you need to go for the Jugular. Southgate is weak, they need a stronger Leader that has less fear & more drive to win.
Ireland fans breathe a sigh of relief. That 200 quid a man on jerseys finally pays out. Can never take a nation that feigns outrage and anger over booing seriously when witnessed the worst of it tonight
Commiserations to England. Let the rioting begin? Hopefully not.
@David Nihill: The rioting began early today in Leicester Square and continued outside Wembley before and during the game. They didn’t need to lose to revert to type.
Succulent
@Stephen Drake: that’s a plant ?
South Gate totally out managed and out classed by Mancini
Pizza adverts anyone
@Aidan Bourke: was told by the doctor to stop eating pizza. Something to do with contributing to heart problems.
Red is the new orange.
Got what they deserved tbh england subs were shocking how the hell does saka get on before phill poden is mad
It’s only Six hours since the final and I can’t remember who came second ha
It’s coming home ?The only thing the English Can bring home is unwanted guests in the back of a lorry
England sat back . Southgate too conservative.
Sterling brought down in box.
2 Italians could have got 2 reds.
Still Italians were the better team.
Funny old game
Will no one think of how Micheál Martin must be feeling? Perhaps Irish flags at half mast?
Sad, because most of the people commenting could only name about 6 Serie A teams yet once the season starts will be searching for the English football results. To say that the Premiership is global is crap, football started long before 1992.
@Mark Sheehan:Cagliari, bari, bologna, chievo, sasuollo, verona… I give up it is a terrible league
@Seagoat returns: took you 8 minutes to Google.
@Mark Sheehan: It took me 8 minutes to get down to your sh&t comment. It took me 0.0008 seconds to respond.
Score . . .
Febrile w t f is febrile
Fevered. Feverish. Hot. Convulsed. Hang on:
https://www.dictionary.com/browse/febrile
Meanwhile in Ireland ?
I might even start drinking Coke again.
terrible game. both sides poor. Italy diving shirt pulling dirty tackles. england devoid of imagination in the end
@Charlie Murphy yea loi clubs. grumpy
Maybe England weren’t capable of building on their early goal. Once Italy settled into their normal game….after about 15 mins in….England were starved of possession . In the end Italy were the better team and much better with a foot on the ball.