The President of the Republic in the stands at Wembley, alongside him Berrettini. Today ceremony at the Quirinale
ROME. From London – and more precisely from the two green fields of Wembley and Wimbledon – to the Quirinale. The Azzurri will be celebrated at home. Regardless of Berrettini, who made history but did not make it to overcome Djokovic’s wall, with the European Cup for Roberto Mancini’s blues who celebrate on the Wembley lawn. Just getting to play for the title of the European football championships and the individual tennis title is a reason for prestige for the homeland.
So the president Sergio Mattarella cheered in the stands at Wembley after listening to Boris Johnson’s ‘Forza Italia’ on arrival at the stadium, cheered on Bonucci’s equal goal, and then spoke with Berrettini, in the interval and between regular times and additional ones. And then he applauded the Azzurri standing up once the thrill of penalties was over. At the end a statement entrusted to Twitter: GREAT gratitude to Mancini and to the players who have represented Italy well and honored the sport “.
And so today 12 July, in the hope it will be a second catwalk, the national team of Mancini and Berrettini will be welcomed at the Quirinale by President Mattarella and, subsequently at Palazzo Chigi, by Prime Minister Draghi.
Simple ceremonies, the tones of which, of course, will follow the results of the fields. For the same reason, the head of state, who represents national unity, wanted to be present in London to cheer on the “Azzurri” at Wembley. A presence at the highest level that has materialized after a careful assessment of the health situation. In any case, it will be a party at the Quirinale that will open its splendid gardens for a sober but high-impact ceremony.
It is not the first time that a head of state pays homage to Italian sport and football in particular. The President of the Republic, who had flown to London for the final of the European football championships, has illustrious predecessors “fans” who attended the Azzurri finals in the stands. The first was Sandro Pertini in 1982, on the occasion of the Mundial won by Bearzot’s Azzurri. On 11 July, the day of the final against Germany, he flew to Madrid and witnessed the meeting alongside King Jan Carlos and Chancellor Helmut Schmidt.
With each goal Pertini jumped to his feet raising his fists in the sky, while at the third and decisive achievement, from the lip you could sense that he was shouting “They don’t take us anymore, they don’t take us anymore”. But in the collective memory, more than his exultations, the return of the whole team on the presidential plane and the scientific sweep paired with Zoff against Bearzot and Causio remain indelible. Having landed in Rome Ciampino, the two coaches of the Azzurri, with difficulty overcoming the crazy crowd of fans, went directly to the Quirinale for a lunch in the Hall of Mirrors.
After 24 years, on July 9, 2006, here’s another final. This time with France, also a winner. And also this with the ‘first fan of Italy in the tribune of honor: Giorgio Napolitano. The president wanted to reward the 23 and the technical staff with the honor of the Order of Merit of the Republic, which was delivered to the Quirinale.