Italy manager Roberto Mancini admitted watching three years of hard work come to fruition with Euro 2020 glory reduced him to tears at Wembley after his side edged England on penalties.
The Italians went behind early to a Luke Shaw goal but equalised in the second half through Leonardo Bonucci, before winning 3-2 in a shootout after a 1-1 draw following extra time.
It marked Italy’s first European Championship title since 1968 and was the result of Mancini’s intelligent rebuilding of the national team following their humiliating failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
Asked about the tears he shed at full-time, Mancini said: “That was the emotion that happens after achieving something incredible, of seeing the guys celebrate, the fans celebrating in the stands.
“It was seeing everything we have managed to create, all of the work we have put in over the last three years and specifically in the last 50 days, which have been very hard.
“We have got on very well, there have never been issues and the players deserve credit for that. Not just on the pitch, they did a brilliant job there, but I think it is the fact we have been able to forge this team spirit.
“They have created something that can never be separated going forward. They will always be synonymous with this triumph because they have so much respect for one another.”
Italy v England player ratings
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Gianluigi Donnarumma 10 - Nothing to do in the first half other than pick the ball out of the net for Shaw’s opener. Commanded the box well when his defence looked messy at times. Beat John Stones to Harry Kane’s ball which curled dangerously towards the Italian goal. An unbelievable performance in the shootout – a generational goalkeeper. -
Giovanni Di Lorenzo 5 - A nervous start saw the right-back unconvincing on the ball while leaving enormous amounts of space down his flank early on. Whatever advice the defender received at the break seemed to work. -
Leonardo Bonucci 6 - Sloppy with the ball unnecessarily at times. The Juventus defender reacted first to a loose ball to equalise for Italy. -
Giorgio Chiellini 5 -. The captain was too narrow at times during the first half and this pulled Italy’s fullbacks in with him. Mancini’s side looked much more assured in the second half. A strong block denied Raheem Sterling from cutting back on his right foot. -
Emerson 5 - Assisted Italian attacks with good movement but it was a different story in defence for Emerson who struggled against England’s link-up play. Settled down in the second half. -
Nicolo Barella 6 - The Inter Milan midfielder has had a good tournament but looked uncomfortable at times on Sunday night. Unable to influence the game as much as usual. Booked for a foul on Harry Kane. -
Jorginho 7 - Overcame a knee injury and kept the play ticking for Italy as usual. Slow to get started but eventually crucial as Italy began to enjoy spells of possession. -
Marco Verratti 7 - Helped settle Italy down in the midfield and looked the most assured on the ball for Roberto Mancini’s side. -
Federico Chiesa 7 - Positive on the ball as ever; the Juventus man looked to get the ball forward with urgency and hit a warning shot just after the half-hour mark that whistled wide. Italy’s brightest spark, on the night. Forced off with injury. -
Ciro Immobile 4 - Isolated amongst England’s three central-defenders with a half-chance struck and blocked comfortably. Anonymous. -
Lorenzo Insigne 4 - A blazed freekick over the bar and woeful effort from range made up a poor first half. Moved the ball well into space in moments but the end product was something Italy fans would have wanted to have seen at the start of the tournament rather than in the final. -
Bryan Cristante (Barella 55) 6 - On for Barella who was playing on a yellow card. Flicked on the ball that led to Bonucci’s equaliser. -
Domenico Berardi (Immobile 55) 6 - Involved early with a shot from a tight angle that Pickford saved comfortably. Added more mobility upfront for Italy. Dispatched his penalty confidently. -
Federico Bernardeschi (Chiesa 86) N/R - Not as effective as Chiesa and his free kick in a dangerous area amounted to nothing. -
Andrea Belotti (Insigne 90) N/R - Ran the channels in extra time but rarely threatened. -
Manuel Locatelli (Verratti 96) N/R - On to help Italy maintain their press from the middle. -
Alessandro Florenzi (Emerson 117) N/R - On for the final moments of extra time. -
Jordan Pickford - 8. Little to do in the first half, and then, when Chiesa cut through England’s defence and had a shot on 62, he was positioned to get down and make a fine save. Terrific save but then struggled to get near Bonucci’s scruffy, easy, equaliser. Saved from Belotti. Did his part in the penalties. -
Kyle Walker – 8. Flew forward to support attack in first goal. Swapped with Trippier as England outsmarted Italy tactically, resulting in a fuming Mancini – and he remained frustrated for a long time. Yet they had to be prepared as Italy were most dangerous down their right. Headed a high ball back to Pickford with such comfort he was applauded. -
John Stones – 8. One of England’s players of the tournament. Didn’t put a foot wrong in the first half. Shouldered a 64th minute Trippier corner towards goal without a proper connection. Busy man trying to block Italy’s bossing the game. -
Harry Maguire – 8. Shaky first minute but then England countered and scored. Thereafter comfortable. Headed a rare set-piece high over on 55. Headed a dangerous Italian cross over just before the goal, then was under serious pressure as Italy pressed high. Booked. Superb penalty. -
Kieran Trippier – 7. Cross for Shaw put England ahead after two minutes in the dream start. Combined brilliantly with Walker on the right and they really troubled Italy, pulling them apart. Had to be careful not to show Insigne inside before he moved into the middle. He usually was, but was pushed back by Italy’s dominance. -
Kalvin Phillips – 7. Had to be on it as Italy had 62% of first half possession, had more attacks too. He was. Blocked Chiesa, Italy’s most dangerous player, to the point that he struggled to get in the game. -
Declan Rice – 7. Screened England’s back line as he has all tournament and sniffed danger from Italy. Moved forwards with confidence. Covered a lot of ground and second player to come off at Italy bettered England in the centre. -
Luke Shaw – 8. Goal, two minutes. What a time to score your first goal for England – a measured controlled finish on the bounce which kissed the post. Played just 59 minutes for England between 2015 and March 2021. Didn't feature in 61 of England's 63 games in that time. Perfectly timed runs all night. Sensational at the start, then back to the wall in a one-sided second half. -
Raheem Sterling – 7. Vital in the tournament. Comfortable going forward. Gave away a free-kick just after half-time, but was much quieter in the second half as Italy equalised and pushed for a winner. -
Mason Mount – 7. Linked with Sterling in the first half. Fine run on 63 to stretch Italy’s ageing and tiring defence – until Bonucci scored. But that was about it in the second half where he struggled to make an impact. -
Harry Kane – 7. Sharp in first half. Fantastic movement meant Italy couldn’t get a hand on him, specifically when he dropped deeper. Linked the attacks. Much quieter in second half as Italy dominated and he was so deep he wasn’t a threat at all. Looked very tired by the end but took England’s first penalty well. -
Bukayo Saka – 6. On for Tripper after 70 as England needed a player to get forward as Italy dominated and it felt like England were clinging on. Penalty saved. -
Jordan Henderson – 6. On for Declan after 74, his fresh legs and experience needed to try and stem the Italian flow. Nice ball in 92nd minute but Chiellini read it perfectly. -
Jack Grealish (On for Mount 99) N/R. Gave England attacking impetus, as he ran forward with the ball. Was also badly fouled by Jorginho. -
Jadon Sancho (On for Walker 120) N/R. Sent on for with penalties. Penalty saved. -
Marcus Rashford (On for Henderson 120) N/R. On with penalties in mind. Sent Donnarumma the wrong way for his penalty, but it hit the post.
Veteran defender Bonucci won Uefa’s man of the match award as he picked up his first international honour, nine years after losing the final of Euro 2012 to Spain.
The 34-year-old shouted “It’s coming to Rome” at the camera after the game, a response to the “It’s coming home” chant popular with England supporters.
“We heard it day in day out since the Denmark game, that the cup would be coming home to London,” Bonucci said.
“Sorry for them, but actually the cup will be winging its way to Rome and that way Italians all over the world can savour this competition.
"It’s for them, it’s for us, we have said since day one we believe we can do it. It is only right Italians celebrate in all four corners of the globe.”
Bonucci is one of the oldest members of the squad, but youngsters like player of the tournament goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, midfielder Nicolo Barella and winger Federico Chiesa impressed at Euro 2020 to give hope for a bright future.
“We had the disappointment of the failure to qualify for the World Cup, but you always need to believe, strive for the top and never give up,” Bonucci added.
“This is a renaissance for Italian football. I’m sure now that this squad and coach will still make plenty of headlines going forward.”
