Training, our first session in Germany, but also a celebration. From the Italian National team’s arrival on the pitch at the Hemberg Stadion Nord in Iserlohn at 16:30 CEST, the 4,000 fans in the stands would sing the afternoon away to the tune of "Italia, Italia", and the famous "Po, po po, po po po po" of 'Seven Nation Army' which the Azzurri were singing to the world 18 years ago. Queues had formed with over an hour to go until the turnstiles opened, queues of friends and family from all over Germany.

Like Annamaria, Vincenzo and little Giovanni who will turn 5 in just 15 days: they live in Braunschweig, 300km away from Iserlohn, and woke up at dawn to make the journey in their Italy shirts. “We dreamed of seeing our National team here in Germany”. This feeling is shared by many Italian immigrants in Germany who, from the day that the training dates were set (the first being the only session open to the public), marked 11 June on their calendars: they wanted to be here at all costs, with any shirt on their back. From previous icons like Baggio and Pirlo to those who secured the Euro 2020 title like Lorenzo Insigne, all allowed our fans in Iserlohn to sing "I campioni dell'Europa siamo noi". 

Before entering the pitch, two freestylers wearing an Italy and Germany shirt performed over the official UEFA EURO 2024 anthem, ‘Fire’. Then came a performance from German-Italian singer Giovanni Zarrella, a celebrity around here: with origins in Campania, he sang 'Fantastico' - one of his top hits -, as well as one of the mainstays of Italian music and well-known abroad 'L'italiano' by Toto Cutugno and 'Nel blu, dipinto di blu' by Domenico Modugno.

Head Coach Luciano Spalletti and FIGC president Gabriele Gravina entered the pitch before the players, one of them being a star of Germany in 2006 as a player. It was bedlam when Gigi Buffon appeared, now as the Head of the Delegation for the reigning Champions of Europe. Standing ovations for all: those who were at Wembley in 2021 and those who are about to embark on the first Euros campaign of their career.

Nicolò Barella trained separately and Nicolò Fagioli trained in the gym after picking up a strain in Sunday’s friendly against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Empoli. The final test before the departure for Euro 2024 where we were met with the love of many Italians in Germany.