uefa-european-championship-2020-2021-final-live-updates-results

Well, that was some game, huh?

England were the far better side for most of the first half but Italy, well they simply refused to give up and eventually clawed their way back into it. After that, it was a game that the Azzurri had in their control and yet, with one goal in it, either side could have taken the cake.

But in the end, it wasn't to be for England and yet as finals go, it was exactly the one that Euro 2020 has deserved. Chaotic, frantic, energetic, full of brilliant attacking bits and maybe some of the best football played by two truly excellent sides. It personified the tournament.

Because let's face it, the last eighteen months has been a crap-fest and while football has felt like a breath of fresh air and a ray of light, we've had too much of it. There is something known as football fatigue and yet, Euro 2020 arrived and everyone had a new lease of life.

It's the tournament whose legacy is now officially air-tight, bubble wrapped in a vacuum-sealed container capable of surviving a nuclear war. It most definitely shall be remembered for the hope and warmth it provided, for the underdog stories, for the pure magic we watched and especially for the football.

But it's over and now we take a breather. The 2021/22 season will be upon us in a flash with a lot more football, transfer business and that whole caboodle. And I'll be right here covering it for you guys but until then, this is goodnight, goodbye and arrivederci.

In light of several English players, including Bukayo Saka, being subjected to racist abuse on social media after the match, the FA has released a statement on the matter.

"The FA strongly condemns all forms of discrimination and is appalled by the online racism that has been aimed at some of our England players on social media. We could not be clearer that anyone behind such disgusting behaviour is not welcome in following the team.

"We will do all we can to support the players affected while urging the toughest punishments possible for anyone responsible. We will continue to do everything we can to stamp discrimination out of the game, but we implore government to act quickly and bring in the appropriate legislation so this abuse has real life consequences.

"Social media companies need to step up and take accountability and action to ban abusers from their platforms, gather evidence that can lead to prosecution and support making their platforms free from this type of abhorrent abuse."

It's our time again. 🏆#VivoAzzurro #EURO2020 #ITA #ITAENG pic.twitter.com/YKV7tiBXWP

— Italy ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (@azzurri) July 11, 2021

Italy head coach Roberto Mancini: "It was impossible even to just consider this at one stage, but the guys were just amazing. 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. You have to have a little luck on penalties. I feel a little sorry for England, because they also had a great tournament. The team has grown a lot and I think we can improve further.

"We are very happy for all Italians. I have no words for these guys!"

This has been some journey. As a nation, we were united in a belief that we can achieve something special after the hardest of years.

It wasn't meant to be, but this team is just getting started. They will continue to make you proud, both on and off the pitch. pic.twitter.com/vDaTXvo6cH

— England (@England) July 11, 2021

Italy's Gianluigi Donnarumma: "We have done something extraordinary. We are happy. We didn't give up a millimetre. 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." 

Italy's Giorgio Chiellini: "We deserved to win, we felt there was something special in the air. We deserve it, all of Italy deserves it. Now let's enjoy it!  We have always played football trying to have fun. Despite the shock early on, we took charge of the game until the end. We deserve this victory."

"We wanted it in every way and we made history, we are champions of Europe. We are all incredibly happy and we can't wait to celebrate tomorrow with all the Italians."

"It was a tough game. We started in the worst possible way. It was difficult for us, the fans in the stadium gave England all their energy. But we were quiet and calm, and that was important. We started to play.

"We talked at half-time, we said we needed to find the right pass, take the right shot. We have to control the game, this is the way to win."

On what his Euros medal means: "History. It's a dream come true. Really, it's unbelievable. 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."

Italian fans now singing ‘It’s Coming Rome’ pic.twitter.com/sIS3IC771I

— Miguel Delaney (@MiguelDelaney) July 11, 2021

England head coach Gareth Southgate: “We’re hugely disappointed. The players have been an absolute credit, they’ve given everything they possibly could. They’ve run themselves into the ground.

"At times they played really well, at times we didn’t keep the ball quite well enough, especially at the start of the second half, but we can’t have any recriminations, they’ve been a joy to work with.

"They’ve gone further than we’ve gone for so long, but tonight it’s incredibly painful in that dressing room. It’s down to me. I decided on the penalty takers based on what they’ve done in training, and nobody is on their own.

"We won together as a team, and it’s on all of us for not being able to win the game tonight. But in terms of the penalties, that’s my call. It totally rests with me.”

On the penalties: “We were well prepared and obviously started it well, but unfortunately the guys weren’t able to convert tonight. They can’t look at themselves in terms of how they practised because they couldn’t have done any more or anything better.”

On what he told the team in the dressing room: “We are all together, they’ve been incredible to work with. They’ve given the country some unbelievable memories. Tonight will be extremely difficult for us of course, and you have to feel that disappointment because the opportunity to win trophies like this are so rare in your life.

"But when they reflect what they’ve done, they should be incredibly proud of themselves. At the moment, the pain of the defeat is huge, we wanted to give the nation one more special night and we weren’t able to do it.

"The World Cup feels a million miles away, but this team can be better and can improve, the number of young players we have blooded, they have been fantastic. But the future ... yeah, I need a bit of time to reflect on that.”

🇮🇹 Scenes in Rome as Italy win EURO 2020! 🥳@azzurri | #ITA | #EURO2020 pic.twitter.com/3bRGBIjpzH

— UEFA EURO 2020 (@EURO2020) July 11, 2021

England's Harry Maguire: "Heartbroken, disappointed, gutted, the lads are devastated, we gave everything, we gave absolutely everything out there.

"It was a bit of ding dong out there, we had the first half, they had the second, extra time could have gone either way. We found a another gear in the second half of extra time and put pressure on them.

"To be decided by penalties is disappointing obviously. More importantly to lose the match is not what we came into this stadium for, we wanted to bring that trophy home.

"[Italy] are a top side, they are going to have parts of the game where we are going to come under pressure and we are going to have to see it out. they didn't create many clear cut chances. They scored from a set play, its took about five ricochets in the box and fell to their player for a tap in so it just wasn't our night.

"There was time in the second half where of course we should have been a little bit more braver on the ball but there was times where we did it excellent and maybe we could have punished them a little bit more in the positions that we got to. Especially in the first half and in extra time too.

"They have been excellent throughout the tournament so we can't control the game from start to finish over a 120 minute period. We controlled it well enough to warrant taking them all the way and we just couldn't find that extra bit."

England's Harry Kane: "I couldn't have given more. The boys couldn't have given more. Penalties is the worst feeling in the world when you lose. It wasn't our night but it's been a fantastic tournament and we should hold our heads high.

"Of course it's going to hurt now. It's going to hurt for a while, but we're on the right track and we're building and hopefully we can progress from this next year."

On what went wrong: "We were playing against a very good side. We got off to the perfect start. Maybe dropped a little too deep sometimes. They had a lot of the ball. We looked fairly in control, they didn't create too many chances.

"They got their breakthrough from the set piece and after that was 50:50. In extra time we grew into the game and had a few hafd chances. Penalties is penalties. We went through a process. The boys did everything they could, it just wasn't our night.

On what was said to the players who missed penalties: "You've got to hold your heads high. It's been a fantastic tournament. Anyone can miss a penalty. We win together, we lose together. We'll learn and grow from it. Those boys will grow from it and it will give us more motivation for the world cup next year."

On how they will reflect on the tournament: "We should be extremely proud as a group of what we have achieved. We're all winners and want to win so it will probably hurt for a while and it will hurt for the rest of our careers, but that's football. We progressed well form Russia and now is about continuing that."

Congratulations to Italy, Champions of #EURO2020 pic.twitter.com/YhJWnZj6NI

— Carl Anka (@Ankaman616) July 11, 2021

Now it's Italy's turn to get their winner's medals lead by Leonardo Spinazzola.

Once everyone does that, Giorgio Chiellini, tears in his eyes but with a grin as wide as you've ever seen, takes possession of the Henri Delaunay Cup and saunters over. Cheers and jeers fill the Wembley sky and he hoists it into the sky. Italy are your Euro 2020 champions.

Another guard of honor but this time for England and their coaches.

A warm embrace between Southgate and Roberto Mancini before it all.

Italy form a guard of honour, applauding referee Bjorn Kuipers and his team as they go up to receive their medals.

Gianluigi Donnarumma wins the player out the tournament award.

Songs are being sung, the Italians are cheering, crying and some even look a little shocked.

England look a tad shocked, with Gareth Southgate hugging Jadon Sancho, Bukayo Saka is surrounded by his teammates and the rest are doing what they can for the others.

⏰ RESULT ⏰

🇮🇹 Italy are the champions of Europe! 👏
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England suffer final defeat at Wembley Stadium

🤔 Who impressed you most? #EURO2020

— UEFA EURO 2020 (@EURO2020) July 11, 2021

Fantastic tournament from England. Cruellest way to lose and no reflection on the players' displays across the competition. Credit to Italy as well who were terrific throughout the Euros. For Gareth Southgate's side they can continue to build. There's much more to come from them.

— Alasdair Gold (@AlasdairGold) July 11, 2021

He’s a teenager. Remember that.

— Seb Stafford-Bloor (@SebSB) July 11, 2021

What a shootout 🔥 #EURO2020

— Katie McCabe (@Katie_McCabe11) July 11, 2021

Never forget what Pickford almost did

— Zealand (@theoldzealand) July 11, 2021

Bukayo Saka and Marcus Rashford are in tears, Jordan Pickford is heartbroken as the English players surround those who missed their penalties.

Italy also have a few in tears with Roberto Mancini leading it all. Jorginho as well.

FULL-TIME AND ITALY HAVE WON THE EURO 2020!!!

Heartbreak for England.

BUKAYO SAKA VS GIANLUIGI DONNARUMMA...

AND HE MISSES!!! DONNARUMMA SAVES!!!

Jorginho doesn't quite catch it well, Pickford saves, it cannons off the post but Pickford smothers.

JORGINHO VS JORDAN PICKFORD...

AND HE MISSSES!!! PICKFORD SAVES!!!

Not quite in the right corner from Sancho and Donnarumma reads it to make a good save.

JADON SANCHO VS GIANLUIGI DONNARUMMA...

AND HE MISSESS!!! SAVED BY DONNARUMMA!!

Right down the middle with Pickford diving towards his right.

DOMENEICO BERNARDESCHI VS JORDAN PICKFORD...

AND HE SCORESSS!!!

Stutter-step from Rashford and he cannons it off the left post.

MARCUS RASHFORD VS GIANLUIGI DONNARUMMA...

AND HE MISSESS!!!

Pickford guesses the right way but Bonucci hits it high into the net.

LEONARDO BONUCCI VS JORDAN PICKFORD....

AND HE SCORESSS!!!

Smashed into the top right corner by Harry Maguire.

He broke the camera...

HARRY MAGUIRE VS GIANLUIGI DONNARUMMA...

AND HE SCORESSS!!!!

Excellent save from Pickford...

ANDREA BELOTTI VS JORDAN PICKFORD...

AND HE MISSESS!!! SAVED BY PICKFORD!

Donnarumma guesses the right way but bottom corner, bang from Kane.

HARRY KANE VS GIGI DONNARUMMA..

AND HE SCOREESSSSS!!!

Pickford leaps the wrong way, Berardi makes no mistake.

DOMENICO BERARDI VS JORDAN PICKFORD...

AND HE SCOREEEESSSSS

Nice relaxing music choice from the stadium DJ: Lose Yourself.

“This opportunity comes once in a lifetime…”

— gunnerblog (@gunnerblog) July 11, 2021

England win the toss and it will be taken in front of their fans.

Italy win the second toss and they will shoot first.

Tactics, takers and more all being discussed at the moment.

⏰ END OF EXTRA TIME ⏰

The EURO 2020 final goes to penalties 😱

🇮🇹🆚🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Who deserves the 🏆❓#EURO2020

— UEFA EURO 2020 (@EURO2020) July 11, 2021

2 - EURO 2020 will be only the second European Championship final to be decided via a penalty shootout, after the 1976 showpiece. Nerves. #ENG #ITA #EURO2020

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) July 11, 2021

Italy have now been involved in more penalty shoot-outs than any other nation in European Championship history:

❌ 1980
✅ 2000
❌ 2008
✅ 2012
❌ 2016
✅ 2020
❓ 2020

Spot the pattern. 👀 pic.twitter.com/T9jIeRUTOC

— Squawka Football (@Squawka) July 11, 2021

FULL-TIME AND WE'RE GOING TO PENALTIES...

Final ten seconds and England have a throw...

Ball hogging from Italy as they work the ball about, find Berardi on the far right and he swings a cross right across the 18-yard box...and out for a goal-kick.

There's definitely enough time for one last thrust from either side.

Question is, who makes it happen?

Into three minutes of added time...

Federico Bernardeschi takes this corner, swings it into the near post and somebody in blue flicks it on but it flies through the corridor of uncertainty and out towards the other flank.

The ball is worked back into the middle but no dice with the second cross either.

Corner for Italy and now England can make their double switch.

Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho is on, replaces Jordan Henderson and Kyle Walker.

They're still waiting as Italy take a throw rather quickly and then proceed to knock the ball about.

England are waiting to send Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford onto the field.

Change for Italy.

Alessandro Florenzi is on, Emerson is off.

Excellent burst of pace from Bukayo Saka down the left as he scampers across the sidelines, flies down the byline and has the ball nicked off his feet.

It falls for Jack Grealish, but Locatelli does just about enough to deal with it.

Like that as Italy pick out Federico Bernardeschi inside the area, he turns and volleys a shot at goal but Stones does well to block and Pickford collects in the end.

Barely seen an Italian attack in this second half and it's high time they make something happen.

Free-kick for England, Kalvin Philips takes and Donnarumma collects with ease.

He does catch Di Lorenzo on his way down but the defender is fine.

The stoppage continues and there will be a yellow card for the Italian.

Some call him fortunate for that..

Stoppage in play as the referee calls for the medical staff with a player for each side down. 

Not sure what happened but replays show that Jack Grealish slide in for the ball, Jorginho put his foot down to get the ball and the Italian catches the Englishman on his knee. Or thigh.

All England at the moment and Italy have been pinned inside their own half. 

It's essentially, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, cross, clear, and the cycle repeats.

Marvellous tackle from Giorgio Chiellini as Sterling made an eerily similar run to the one that won England a penalty against Denmark. But the Italian gets the tackle absolutely spot on and somehow scoops it clear.

England knock the ball about for a bit and it seems that they have indeed taken control of the extra-time now. 

Apologies for that, it seems Gianluigi Donnarumma did indeed get a glove to it which deflected the ball just past a man in white's head. 

A nothingness long-throw from Kyle Walker on the right causes chaos for Italy, they barely clear their lines and England are back at them. Kane with the cross, Donnarumma flies out to punch but gets nothing on the ball as Stones throws himself at it.

Italy eventually clear and calm things down.

More 30 yards than the 28 I thought it was earlier..

BERNARDESCHIIIII, PICKFORD FUMBLES AND SMOTHERS!!!

Good effort by the Italian but it was right down Pickford's throat and he eventually had that covered.

Free-kick for Italy after Harry Maguire clatters into Andrea Belotti and earns a yellow card.

This is dangerous with the ball placed smack in the middle about 28 yards out from goal.

Four over the set-piece for the Azzurri.

PEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!! AND WE'RE BACK UNDERWAY...

Italy get the second half off and running, with Marcus Rashford preparing to walk on.

HALF-TIME AND NOTHING HAS CHANGED...

Shaw takes....and the referee pulls play back for a foul.

That is the half-time whistle as well.

Handball says the referee and England have a free-kick down the inside left.

About 25 yards out with the ball placed on the far left edge of the area.

Luke Shaw is over...

Locatelli makes a good run down the right but his cross is blocked well, falls back for Grealish on the right and Di Lorenzo clatters into him. Tactical foul and all that..

Into one minute of added time..

Into the final minute of normal time in this first half and neither side has taken control of extra-time.

Chances have been few and far as well...

CHANCE FOR ITALY!!! An odd one from the English as Emerson produces a lovely cross from the left, Pickford flies out and tries to collect but he just about deflects the ball back into play. Cristante tries to poke it over the keeper and into the net but sends it wide instead.

A quiet lull in the game but the crowd makes it slightly more frantic than it actually is. They seem excited and buoyed by the arrival of Jack Grealish onto the scene and who can blame them?

Jack Grealish with his first touches of the ball on the left as he sizes up Chiellini and Di Lorenzo with tiny movements. Saka eventually makes the overlapping run, Grealish backheels it into his path but Di Lorenzo reads the move, intercepts and forces a goal-kick.

Italy seem a little out of sorts now as England create a little chaos inside the Italian area but it doesn't quite come off in the end and the ball is hooked clear.

Change for England.

Mason Mount is off, Jack Grealish replaces him.

Jack Grealish will be the next player to walk off the bench....if he can ever get his jacket off.

That Sterling run seems to have injected a little bit of confidence and energy into England's play as they work the ball about more crisply....and Kane has passed it to the ad boards.

Yup, not what he wanted there.

The resulting corner is nodded clear, falls for Kalvin Philips and he hammers it wide. He brought it down really well, chested it perfectly and then let it drop before volleying it at goal.

No dice though and Italy did indeed make their change. Marco Verratti replaced by Locatelli.

Lots of ball hogging from Italy but suddenly England have space to break. Henderson with the perfect pass for Raheem Sterling, he flies infield from the right and suddenly Italy are well open.

The forward opts to slide it across though but before he can....Chiellini blocks it for a corner.

Italy are preparing another change with Manuel Locatelli waiting to walk on.

A more subdued start to extra-time from England and you can't really blame them. They've looked leggy for a while now with Gareth Southgate making just the two changes.

Federico Bernardeschi has a scamper down the left and wins a corner but play is pulled back as Emerson body-checks Jordan Henderson's tracking run.

He pleads his innocence but the referee sees through it.

Ball back with the Italians and the boos have restarted as well.

Change for Italy.

Lorenzo Insigne is off, Andrea Belotti replaces him and that should see the Torino man become the focal point of this team. Bernadeschi has moved towards the left-flank with Berardi on the right.

PEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!!! AND WE'RE BACK..

England get us rolling again and Italy have made a change. More on that in a bit.

Both teams have gathered in their own huddle as both head coaches impart advice.

They both have subs left on the bench, four for both Italy and England which means fresh legs are most definitely coming onto the field. The question is who for whom?

⏰ FULL TIME ⏰

😱 Extra time coming up!

🇮🇹 Bonucci bundles home Azzurri equaliser
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Shaw half-volley gives England early lead

🤔 Who'll win it?#EURO2020

— UEFA EURO 2020 (@EURO2020) July 11, 2021

love the energy of chiellini pulling down saka and then offering a handshake; love the energy of saka rejecting it

— Jonathan Liew (@jonathanliew) July 11, 2021

Euro 2020 knockout games to end in 90 minutes: 7

Euro 2020 knockout games to go to ET/penalties: 8#ITAENG pic.twitter.com/pEkfI7J1nX

— DW Sports (@dw_sports) July 11, 2021

FULL-TIME AND WE'RE GOING INTO EXTRA-TIME..