Euro 2020 Final: Going to Rome or Coming Home?

 

It has finally come to this. After 50 games played across 11 cities from Seville to St. Petersberg, 140 goals with 24 teams involved, the European Championship is now set for its finale. Wembley Stadium in London is the stage for the final as the Azzurri of Italy faces the Three Lions of England. Both teams came into this tournament with some form of optimism and they are now one step away from being crowned champions of Europe. Italy has been excellent this tournament and they will be hoping for their first Euro title since 1968 after two final defeats in 2000 and 2012. For England, they are in unfamiliar territory as they are in not only their first-ever Euro final but their first final in over five decades, getting the attention of the country. After a year-long delay and four weeks, Euro 2020 is set to close but who are our finalists and what was their journey to Wembley?

ITALY: A NEW MAKEOVER AND 33 UNBEATEN

Before even the qualifiers for Euro 2020, Italy was in a need of rejuvenation after failing to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in November 2017. Roberto Mancini was appointed coach of the Italian national team in 2018 and brought changes to the Italian national setup. Mancini throughout his time as Italy coach has played Italy in a 4-3-3 formation with a possession-heavy midfield, giving the Italians control of the game. They qualified for the competition with a perfect record of ten wins, scoring 37 times. Going into the tournament, in a group containing Turkey, Wales and Switzerland, the Azzurri were considered dark horses before the tournament started and playing the first game of the competition in Rome against Turkey, it was an opportunity for the Italians to show the football world this new exciting Italy. 

They certainly did in the group stages dispatching Turkey 3-0 in the opener and inflicted the same scoreline against Switzerland. Despite the side being heavily rotated against Wales, Mancini's side did not reduce their energy levels, being the Welsh 1-0. In the Round of 16, they faced a compact Austria and despite the game going into extra time, they made it through with a 2-1 win. In the quarters, they faced their toughest test, facing pre-tournament favourites Belgium. They were brilliant and pulled off an amazing 2-1 win in Munich to face Spain in the semis.  A Meditteranean rivalry in Wembley, the game could not find a winner after two hours, forcing penalties. The Italians held their nerve during the penalty shootout and made it to the final. Italy has a chance of not only winning their first major trophy since 2006 but crown their unbeaten run with silverware. They have gone 33 games unbeaten with their last defeat coming in 2018 against Portugal. 

Italy is a team that knows who they are with Marco Veratti, Jorginho and Nicolo Barella keep things ticking in midfield, Chiesa and Insigne supporting Ciro Immobile while Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chellini rolling back the years in defence plus having one of the best young keepers in Gianluigi Donnarumma. The only injury concern is left-back Leonardo Spinazzola, who is out of the tournament and has been one of Italy's best players in the tournament. Italy will be hoping it's the third time lucky but they have to quiet a home crown in Wembley and frustrate the English. Whether they win it or not, Italy has set strong foundations for the next few years.

ENGLAND: AFTER 55 YEARS, IS IT COMING HOME?

England has been perennial underachievers in international tournaments for decades, with their Round of 16 defeat against Iceland in Euro 2016 a highlight of how England have been unable to compete. Following the appointment of Gareth Southgate in 2017, England has improved reaching the semifinal of the 2018 World Cup for the first time since 1990. After their semifinal defeat to Croatia, they finished third in the inaugural Nations League and qualified for Euro 2020 top of their group, scoring 37 goals in eight games. With a much-improved squad from 2018 and having a relatively easy group containing Scotland, Czech Republic and Croatia with all their group games played in Wembley, many in England hoped to go on a deep run.

They started off with a 1-0 win against Croatia before being held to a goalless draw against close neighbours Scotland. Having already sealed their place in the knockout stages, they capped it off with a 1-0 win against the Czech Republic. They would later face rivals Germany in the Round of 16, who have gotten the better of England various times in past tournaments. Raheem Sterling and Harry Kane scored to knock Die Mannschaft out of the tournament, giving England a famous 2-0 win. In the quarterfinals, they breezed past Ukraine with a 4-0 win with Harry Kane, Harry Maguire and Jordan Henderson getting on the scoresheet. They faced Denmark in the semifinals, who have had an inspired tournament themselves following the drama they faced in their first game against Finland. Despite conceding first from a great free-kick from Mikkel Damsgaard, England came from behind to beat the Danes 2-1 after extra time to seal a place in the final. 

Despite Euro 2020 not having a host country, it has been sort of a home tournament for England, with only one of their six games played outside of Wembley. Southgate has stuck to his guns when many felt England should do this differently and has paid off, having the meanest defence of the tournament conceding only one goal. Raheem Sterling has been England's spark this tournament, with inspired performances and being the perfect foil for Harry Kane, whose tournament was slow at first but has come alive in the knockout stages, scoring four goals. This England team is more tactical and have more personality to them than past England teams, winning the support of England faithful which is another credit to Southgate. Now, they face Italy in the final and will have the pressure on them and if they can control their emotions and bypass the Italians, football may finally come home.