“Our last hope!”: Scottish newspaper tells Italians to beat England

Published on 07/11/2021, Reading Time: 3 Minutes

MOn Italy’s request to win the European Championship final against England, a Scottish newspaper generated a mixed reaction. “The National”, which supports Scottish independence, featured Italian national coach Roberto Mancini as Scottish freedom fighter William Wallace on the front cover of its issue in a photo reminiscent of Mel Gibson’s film “Braveheart”. Featured it. “Save us, Roberto!” “You are our last hope. We can’t stand 55 more years of bragging about it,” wrote the newspaper from Glasgow, with scenes from the European Championship final on Sunday at London’s Wembley Stadium.

While many English took it with humor and understood it as a general football taunt, others reacted angrily and accused “The National” of fueling anti-English discontent in Scotland. Harry Cole, editor of British tabloid “The Sun”, called it “sad” on Twitter. In Italy, on the other hand, coach Mancini in Braveheart gear provided the entertainment.

Mancini himself described the front page as “good”, but didn’t want to go into much detail about what he felt like “braveheart” before the final: “I think we have to play our game.” captain giorgio chiellini Commented on the front page, even smiling: “It made me laugh,” said the 36-year-old.

55 years ago, England won the World Cup in 1966, which is the only Three Lions title so far. The Scots and the British have had a long rivalry in football, with the Bravehearts often beating untitled in the past few decades. The teams were separated 0–0 in the EM group stage. After this, Scotland dropped out. In fact, most Scots should keep their fingers crossed for Azzurri against their old rivals on Sunday.

English Fair Play? oh well…

A trend that appears to be moving across Europe. The fact that England were awarded six home games by UEFA, as evidenced by the team’s stable football, contributed to controversial penalty kicks and fan behavior in the semi-finals against Denmark. There is constant cheering of the opponent’s songs, and there have also been laser point attacks on Scandinavian players against Denmark. The tournament is not far from the much awaited English Fair.

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The newspapers in Italy anyway see the final through their own glasses. “Turn them blue. Italy challenges England in the battle for the throne of Europe, “Gazetta dello Sport” was the headline on Sunday. “In the temple of football, the Mancini-land dream must come true,” wrote the paper, which looks to the final at 39 pages.

Other sheets linked the European Championship final on their front pages with the final of the tennis tournament at Wimbledon, where Italy’s Matteo Berrettini had previously challenged Novak Djokovic. “For you, for us! We want to see you like that again! Italy in attack on the last challenge” wrote TuttoSport, while “Corrire dello Sport” demanded: “So much love. For Italy all together: First Berettini at Wimbledon, then the European Championship final.”

The newspaper sees Italy in “the night of the most beautiful dreams” and also looks back: “Three years after the darkest moment of our football, the national team has a unique opportunity to promote and bring home the trophy for the first time. Since 1968. “And” Gazzetta dello Sport “once again reminds us of the missed World Cup in 2018:” In the final against England from the great darkness. The last obstacle on the way to the throne of Europe. “