Introduction

On July 11, 2021, Italy defeated England in a dramatic penalty shootout to win their second European Championship title. Italy's journey to the final was a rollercoaster ride and featured some stunning performances. In this article, we'll take a closer look at Italy's Euro 2020 campaign and how they clinched the trophy.

Group Stage

Italy was drawn in Group A alongside Turkey, Switzerland, and Wales. They kicked off their campaign with a 3-0 victory against Turkey, with goals from Demiral (own goal), Immobile, and Insigne. Next up was Switzerland, and Italy showed their class once again, dominating the match and winning 3-0, with Manuel Locatelli scoring twice and Immobile grabbing another. In their final group game, Italy faced Wales, and despite making several changes, they earned a comfortable 1-0 win with Pessina's goal sending the Azzurris through as group winners without conceding a single goal.

Knockout Stages

In the round of 16, Italy faced Austria and had to dig deep to secure a 2-1 win in extra time, with substitutes Chiesa and Pessina bagging the goals. In the quarterfinals, Italy faced a much tougher test in Belgium, but they put in a strong performance to win 2-1. Nicolo Barella and Lorenzo Insigne scored crucial goals for Italy, while Romelu Lukaku scored a late consolation for Belgium from the penalty spot.

The semifinals saw Italy take on Spain in a thrilling encounter that ended 1-1 after extra time. The game went to penalties, and Italy held their nerve to win 4-2 in the shootout. Federico Chiesa was once again the hero, scoring Italy's goal in regulation time. In the final, Italy faced England at Wembley Stadium. The match ended 1-1 after extra time, with Luke Shaw scoring early for England and Leonardo Bonucci equalizing for Italy in the second half. The game went to penalties, and Italy's goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma produced two crucial saves to guide Italy to a 3-2 win in the shootout.

Conclusion

Italy's journey to the Euro 2020 title was a remarkable one, marked by dominant performances, dramatic late goals, and penalty shootout heroics. Roberto Mancini's side played an attractive brand of football throughout the tournament and deservedly clinched the trophy. The victory was particularly sweet for Italy, as it was their first major trophy since winning the World Cup in 2006.