Playing with a smile on your face (nd current)

Roberto Mancini, the trainer and architect of this remarkable Squadra Azzurra, which surrounded him as if she were guarding her treasure. And Mancini, 56, who had previously stormed for Italy himself, raised his index finger and thumb as if he wanted to swear his team to what it still needs right after the 2-1 (2-1) against Belgium in the EM quarter-finals, to celebrate Italy’s first title win since the 2006 World Cup in Germany. So two wins, first on Tuesday in the semifinals against Spain and then on Sunday against England or Denmark, who face each other in the second semifinals on Wednesday, also in London.

“We are going to Wembley knowing that we are a team that can still show a lot in this tournament,” said Mancini. When asked what he had seen in this group of players because he had targeted the semi-finals before the tournament, when Italy was still considered an underdog, he replied: “The team has developed in every game, the The team just got better. But we can still improve, I’ve seen that on this team. “

The Italians have been unbeaten in 32 games. However, it is slowly starting to seem difficult to imagine that the Italians can improve further. Especially after this wild spectacle that they performed together with the Belgians on Friday evening when the Munich arena was the last stage at this tournament. Together, both teams showed some of the best football that this European Championship had produced. The fact that Italy triumphed over Belgium’s so-called golden and still unfinished generation with the goals of Inter Milan’s Nicolò Barella (31st) and Naples’s Lorenzo Insigne (44th) was a reinforcement for everything that should now follow.

So far, the Italians had played big against middle-class teams at this European Championship. The fact that they only allowed the best team in the world for three years, according to the world rankings, to score one goal by Romelu Lukakus (45th + 2), gave them the seal of approval that they could take on anyone. Less because of an outstanding individual quality, but above all because of a great organization and cohesion, which in itself must be intimidating to the opponents. Starting with the sound of the national anthem, which appropriately sings about the unity of the Italian brothers, who should be ready for anything. The Azzurri play as they sing, passionately and with determination. And they seem inspired by the happiness of forming a real unit. “I’ve never played with a smile like that on my face. It’s like playing with my friends at home, “said art shooter Lorenzo Insigne,” the coach has a big part in it. It makes it possible for us to play our best football. And we all play with a smile on our face, that’s our secret. “

They also discovered the aesthetics of accurate work for themselves. All the paths that are necessary to enable the almost perfect positional play are carried out with the dedication and joy that their often smiling captain Giorgio Chiellini, 36, exudes in his defense craft. It is this spirit that carries the Italians through the tournament and serves as the basis for their artistic moments, for their beautiful offensive game – the goals of the agile attackers Barella and Insigne and especially Insignes Schlenzer to 2-0 looked like brushstrokes full of lightness. “I try this shot quite often. The coach says that maybe I should shoot the other side, but somehow I can’t really do that, “said Insigne, quickly recalling the basis of the five victories in the five European Championship games and already speaking more fully before the semifinals against Spain Confidence about the hope of winning the title: “We have to keep working, because we can achieve great things.” Now you just have to do even more, said the 1.63 meter small Neapolitan.

This also applies because the strong left-back Leonardo Spinazzola tore his Achilles tendon against Belgium. Emerson from Chelsea is considered a substitute candidate. Against Spain, the defense and goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma may have to face even more. After Spinazzola’s failure, the Italians are all the more challenged as a unity. As artists who can also fight and as fighters who have a lot left for the artistic moments, accompanied by that inspired smile. “We have a dream hidden in a drawer. I hope we can get him out and scream out in mid-July, ”said defense attorney Leonardo Bonucci. In the final shot of Munich, it looked as if Mancini had remembered this dream, surrounded by his players.