Italy has won Euro 2020.
Gianluigi Donnarumma saved two penalties and Marcus Rashford hit the post on another as Italy won the penalty shootout 3-2 to win its first Euro title since 1968.
The game went into penalties after it was tied 1-1 after 120 minutes. Andrea Belotti missed a penalty for Italy and then Rashford kicked his penalty off the left post.
Donnarumma saved England’s fourth penalty kick by Jadon Sancho and put the tournament at the feet of Jorginho. But Italy’s fifth penalty taker — the man who sent Italy to the final with a cheeky clincher against Spain — was saved by England’s Jordan Pickford.
That meant Donnarumma needed to make a save again to end the game. And he stopped England’s Bukayo Saka.
Saka, Sancho and Rashford are three of England’s young attacking stars. They have years to come as part of the country’s national team. But it was a cruel way for England to lose in its first major tournament final since winning the 1966 World Cup.
Sancho and Rashford had hardly played in the game. They were brought on with minutes to spare in extra time for the purpose of taking a penalty.
Italy tied game in second half
Italy controlled the game in the second half after England took an early lead. Italy had the ball for two-thirds of the game and seemed to always be pressing the issue in the second half while chasing the game.
Luke Shaw scored the earliest goal in Euro final history when he knocked in a goal off the post and into the back of the net off a cross from the right. Shaw’s goal came in the second minute of the game and sent Wembley Stadium into a frenzy after fans were frenzied all day just to watch their team play in a tournament final.
The game was tied by another defender in the 67th minute. Stalwart Leonardo Bonucci crashed into the area in front of goal to tip home a rebound after England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford had made a save off the post.