Euro 2020: Italy crowned European champions after penalty shootout win over England

Italy claimed the European Championship for the first time since 1968 as penalties came back to haunt England at Wembley on Sunday, Gianluigi Donnarumma saving twice as the Azzurri won a shootout 3-2 after the game finished 1-1 following extra time.

The giant goalkeeper saved from Jadon Sancho and, decisively, Bukayo Saka after Marcus Rashford hit the post, as Federico Bernardeschi, Leonardo Bonucci and Domenico Berardi all scored for the Italians in the shootout.

Luke Shaw had given England a dream start with a superb goal after two minutes but Italy, who offered almost nothing in response in the first half, gradually took command and deservedly levelled through Bonucci after 67 minutes.

It was the first final decided on penalties since Czechoslovakia beat West Germany in 1976 and was wildly celebrated in Italy after they lost the final in 2000 and 2012.

For England coach Gareth Southgate, who missed from the spot when they lost in the Euro96 semi-final to Germany, it was another shootout horror show.

The two players he sent on late in extra time with penalties in mind missed their penalties, as did 19-year-old Saka, who crumpled under the pressure of taking the final kick.

Italy, have now won five and lost six of their 10 major tournament shootouts, including one win and one loss in World Cup finals, while England’s dismal record now reads seven losses from nine.

But England fans dreaming of a second title to add to the 1966 World Cup can hardly complain they were robbed this time, after their team followed a strong start by surrendering the initiative despite the support from most of the 67,000 crowd.

The match statistics told the story as Italy had 66% possession and 19 shots to England's six and, until the shootout, Donnarumma barely touched the ball.

Italy are now unbeaten in 34 matches, underlining the stunning turnaround fashioned by coach Roberto Mancini who took over after the country's humiliating failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup.

"It was impossible even to think about this, but the guys were extraordinary," Mancini said. "I don’t have words for them, this is a magnificent group. We were great, we conceded an early goal and had some problems but then we dominated."

Bright start

It had all started so well for England when Harry Kane spread the ball wide to Kieran Trippier and he instantly repaid coach Southgate’s faith in recalling him by sending over a curling deep cross that Shaw met on the half volley to hammer inside the post for his first international goal.

England had taken an early lead in their 2018 World Cup semi-final against Croatia before being outplayed and losing in extra time but for a while they stayed on top, with the Italians arguing and running to Mancini for instructions as they struggled for a foothold.

England’s well-drilled defence, which had conceded one goal, via a Denmark free kick, in their six previous tournament games, looked safe enough but the players in front gradually began to concede more and more territory.

Jordan Pickford had to save from Lorenzo Insigne and Federico Chiesa as Italy cranked up the pressure and it paid dividends when Bonucci pounced from close range after the keeper had turned Andrea Belotti’s header onto a post.

England could have no complaints after inviting their opponents on and offering almost nothing in attack.

It was a similar story in extra time, though England did briefly force their way back into the game, albeit without creating much to reward the crowd for their waves of noise.

England briefly sensed glory in the shootout when Pickford saved from Belotti, and Kane and Harry Maguire put them 2-1 ahead. The keeper kept the hosts in it again when he saved from Jorginho, only for Donnarumma to have the final word when he blocked Saka's weakly-struck shot.

"The penalty takers are my call," said Southgate. "We know they were the best takers we had left on the pitch, and we tried to get those players on to the pitch.

"The players have given everything, not only tonight but throughout the whole tournament. They should hold their heads high... but the devastation of getting so close is difficult to put into context.

"At the moment the pain of the defeat is huge, we wanted to give our nation one more special night and a first European championship and we haven't quite been able to do it."

Italy erupts in celebration after Euro soccer triumph

Italy fans celebrate after winning the Euro 2020 at Piazza Duomo

Italians poured into streets and squares in massive numbers on Sunday as the national soccer team beat England to win Euro 2020, celebrating a success widely seen as a rebound from the heartbreak failure of not qualifying for the last World Cup.

Fireworks and music broke out across the country after the 3-2 shootout win, following a 1-1 draw after extra time, as flags waved and euphoric fans sang out in the hot summer night after the final played at London's Wembley stadium.

"It's incredible, it's incredible, you can't feel better than this, it is amazing, we won the final," said Stefano Gucci, a fan in the crowds at Piazza Del Popolo in Rome.

Italians praised national team coach Roberto Mancini for leading the country out of the depths of disappointment when they missed out on qualifying for the 2018 World Cup in Russia and for guiding them to their first Euro title since 1968.

"Great gratitude to Roberto Mancini and our players who have represented Italy well and have brought honour to sports," President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella said in a statement.

Joy erupted in cities from the north to the south of the country after the final save by Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma fromt Bukayo Saka. Fans filled the central Milan Duomo square and cars beeped their horns in Naples.

Supporters gathered to celebrate also in Jesi, the central Italian hometown of coach Mancini.

"It is very important for Italy, and especially for us," a fan in Jesi holding a giant Italian flag told SkyTg24.

It is the first major international success for Italian soccer since the 2006 World Cup victory. The 'Azzurri' have suffered repeated failures since then, including a crushing defeat against Spain at the Euro 2012 final.

"You have given us a magical night," said Italian Olympic Committee chief Giovanni Malago.

Italy, where people have suffered during the coronavirus crisis and the deep economic recession provoked by the curbs, has welcomed the success with hope and relief.

"It's like living in a dream you don't want to wake up from. Italy has woken up from the nightmare of the pandemic," said fan Gianluca Iannilli, 25, who is studying to be an interpreter in Rome.

Fans charge security at Wembley before Euro final

England fans and police are seen outside Wembley stadium

Fans breached security cordons, charging into the perimeter area of Wembley Stadium, before the start of the Euro 2020 final between England and Italy on Sunday.

A day of alcohol-fuelled festivities had begun with rowdy scenes in central London and a crowd of around 65,000 made their way to the national stadium for the game, with flares being let off in railway stations and singing on trains

Around two hours before the game, fans burst past stewards and some reached the concourse while bottles were thrown in from outside the perimeter.

Some security staff were attacked, witnesses told Reuters, and entry to the stadium was halted for over 20 minutes while order was restored at the entrances.

Outside the ground, several thousand fans continued drinking and partying in the area immediately adjacent to the entry points with empty beer cans lining the street.

Police said they helped the security teams at the ground.

"Wembley security officials have confirmed there were no security breaches of people without tickets getting inside the stadium," the Metropolitan police said on Twitter.

Some witnesses, however, said they saw isolated cases of fans running through the seating areas inside the ground being chased by security.

Inside the ground, there was a party atmosphere with fans singing "Sweet Caroline" and "Three Lions" - the unofficial anthem of the England team.

Police had previously urged supporters not to travel to Wembley if they did not have match tickets, and complained of multiple cases of flares being set off within the vicinity of railway stations in London.

Across the capital, many had set up camp early with thousands queuing to get into pub gardens before lunchtime and others packed into city squares.

Hours before the 8pm local kick-off, Wembley Way was crammed with supporters all the way from the underground station to the stadium.

Beer cans and bottles flew through the air as acrid smoke from flares drifted through the crowd and supporters, dressed in England shirts of various vintages, sang and chanted. The exuberant scenes at the stadium were replicated across the city.

Gus McKay, a 53-year-old England fan from Bradford-on-Avon, joined the party at Leicester Square in central London.

"It feels incredible," he said. "I've been waiting all my life (to reach a final)."

Dave Woodall from York echoed the sentiment: "I was one when we won the World Cup and it's a dream that I never thought would happen," he said.

"So I'm like a kid at Christmas. It's the best feeling ever. I had to come down for the day, I couldn't miss this."

England were bidding to win their first major title since lifting the 1966 World Cup.