The words “Campioni d’Europa” (“Champions of Europe”) were written on the bus that took the Under-19 National Team from Rome Fiumicino Airport to FIGC headquarters. A month after the U20s were welcomed back following their exploits at the World Cup, where they reached the final, it was the U19s’ turn to be received. This time, there was one big difference: the trophy. Yesterday, the Azzurrini won the European Under-19 Championship title for the first time since Paolo Berrettini’s side got the better of Portugal in the 2003 final. The Portuguese were also Italy’s opponents last night, with Kayode’s goal proving decisive against a side that had beaten the Azzurrini 5-1 during the group stage.

Federal staff joined Minister for Sport and Youth, Andrea Abodi, FIGC President, Gabriele Gravina, CONI President, Giovanni Malagò, and Paralympic and Experimental Football Division Head, Franco Carraro, in waiting for the bus to arrive. The team were then received in the ‘Sala Paolo Rossi’, where a celebratory video was shown and the players and staff were greeted with life-size photos of the trophy ceremony on the grass of the National Stadium in Ta’ Quali.

“Thank you from myself, the whole Federation and the whole of Italian sport,” said Gravina. “I think the fact that the CONI President is here shows us how much unity there is from a sporting perspective. Thank you to Maurizio Viscidi for coordinating the activities of the National Youth Teams with such passion: it’s not possible to invent something out of nowhere; everything is built. I’d also like to thank Alberto Bollini, his staff and these fantastic lads. We knew that the journey would be difficult, also bearing in mind the quality of our opponents. Things started slowly for our U19s and there were some difficult moments, but Bollini and his staff brought a sense of calm to the group. One thing to note is the fact that nine of these lads have received their high school diplomas this year. It must also be pointed out that this age group had to deal with the negative impact of Covid, which prevented international activities taking place and could have been devastating. We’re so grateful to the lads, and with hard work and sacrifice, any result can be achieved.”

Malagò added to Gravina’s words: “I really wanted to be here. I’m passionate about football and know what you’ve been through. Today, Italy is considered a colossus in the world of sport thanks to the success we’ve had in the Olympics, World Cups and European Championships. It’s vital for football to play its part. Congratulations and thank you from all of Italian sport; this victory is proof of how vital it is to safeguard our youth academies.”

“A great feeling of satisfaction and an extraordinary feat,” said Abodi. “We saw how these lads were able to recover both physically and mentally. There wasn’t a flaw to note in the two decisive matches against Spain and Portugal, and I’m happy to see the smiles on the faces of these great guys. I hope that Serie A was watching and has been inspired in the right way; I’d like to see these lads spend more time on the pitch than on the bench.”

Carraro underlined the importance of the Azzurri shirt: “You’ll become professional footballers at your clubs, but the fans’ love for the Italy shirt is something that goes beyond that,” said the former FIGC President. “Italians mainly remember Vialli and Paolo Rossi for what they contributed to the National Team, while Gigi Riva is another legend who is loved by everyone thanks to what he did for the Azzurri. Yesterday, a million and a half people cheered for you in front of the TV, and you made everyone happy.”

Just like his players, Head Coach Alberto Bollini was also thrilled: “The boys felt the weight of the Italy jersey on them, and this made them feel less fatigue. After progressing through two qualification groups in a different manner, the final stages of our journey were incredible. A friendship was created that went beyond the pitch. We were born a group but became a team. In the past few years, Italy have finished runners-up on too many occasions. We felt the urge to give a gift to the Federation and all of us, and we managed to do so.”