Donnarumma about his belated cheers – “I didn’t understand anything anymore”
Stand: 13.07.2021
Victory on penalties – Italy’s dramatic triumph in the video
Italy beat England in a captivating final and crown themselves European champions. Despite England’s lightning lead, the game goes into overtime. In the penalty shootout, Southgate’s extra substitute shooters fail their nerves. The highlights in the video.
The football world is amazed at the serene joy of Italy’s goalkeeper after the successful penalty shoot-out. Gianluigi Donnarumma simply lost track of the turmoil.
FFor Italy’s coach Roberto Mancini he is “the best goalkeeper in the world”, the media in his home country celebrated Gianluigi Donnarumma as an “insurmountable penalty magician”: After the greatest triumph of his career so far, the superlatives for the young Italian national soccer goalkeeper didn’t take off at all End.
“That’s unbelievable, I don’t even know if that’s really true,” enthused the 22-year-old, who once again became the hero and with two shots saved in Italy’s dramatic 3-2 victory on penalties in the European Championship final against England became a match winner.
After the wild cabin party, he posed with a happy smile on Instagram with the silver EM trophy. “Proud to have given all Italians a smile and to have experienced many“ magical nights ”together with our extraordinary fans,” wrote the goalkeeper, who was the first goalkeeper to be elected player of the tournament and now, at just 22 years old, is already one of the greatest possible successes in the Celebrated football. “We have been extraordinary, we are super happy. It’s an incredible thing, ”he enthused.
Moved to Paris Saint-Germain
Donnarumma conceded only four goals in the entire tournament, against England he became a hero as before in the semifinals against Spain with saved shots. “I was sure he would save a penalty. He is the best goalkeeper in the world “, praised Mancini, while the” Gazzetta dello Sport “named him the” penalty magician “:” In the penalty shootout, he is once again the insurmountable goalkeeper. “Italy’s President Sergio Mattarella also praised the keeper:” Your last parade made millions of people happy. ”
Uefa President Aleksander Ceferin honored Gianluigi Donnarumma (r.) As the best player of the tournament
Source: AFP
The European title is said to have been only the first peak of his career for the 1.96 meter tall goalkeeper. “I still have to improve, that’s just the beginning for me,” said Donnarumma, who is about to move to Paris Saint-Germain after the end of his contract with AC Milan and Italy’s new generation of football at the next major tournaments wants to lead. Italian media also see him as a candidate for the election of world footballer. “Signs the European Championship title and presents itself as a wall. Heroic ”, enthused“ Tuttosport ”the day after the triumph.
Donnarumma joins the tradition of great Italian goalkeepers like Dino Zoff or Gianluigi Buffon. The 33-time national player does not see himself on a par with the idols of his childhood, even if the “Gazzetta dello Sport” already wrote: “Zoff, Buffon and … Donnarumma.” The record of 1169 minutes without conceding a goal snapped In any case, the current Squadra Azzurra, Zoff’s old record, was surpassed at this tournament.
In a class of its own: Gianluigi Donnarumma saves Bukayo Saka’s penalty
What: AP
“Gigione is the strongest of them all, he’s number one,” said Donnarumma cautiously when asked about his role model, Buffon. At the same time he also added: “Let’s see how far I can still make it.” Title predecessor Buffon already sent congratulations via Instagram: “What an extraordinary team!”
Blackout on penalties?
The 43-year-old Italian national record player was also the one who accompanied Donnarumma in the early stages of his career – at least as a role model on posters on the wall of the children’s room. At the age of 13 Donnarumma left his homeland Castellammare di Stabia near Naples, a year later he signed his first professional contract with AC Milan. This was followed by his debut in Serie A at 16 and his first game in the national jersey at 17. Five years later, he’s now there – at least on the first of his young career.
The high-flyer realized with some delay that he would become a hero in London. In the frenzy of penalty shoot-outs, Donnarumma had simply lost track of everything. “I didn’t cheer straight away because I didn’t realize it. I was already on the ground after Jorginho’s penalty because I thought we lost, ”he told the“ Gazzetta dello Sport ”.
And even after he saved the final penalty shot by the Englishman Bukayo Saka, he wasn’t sure whether he could actually cheer because he didn’t know whether one foot had been on the line according to the rules. “I looked at the referee to see if everything was okay,” said Donnarumma. “Then I saw my teammates running towards me and understood nothing at all.”
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