Italian President Sergio Mattarella will be there to support Azura in the European Cup final against England at London’s Wembley Stadium on Sunday (11).
The Italian head of state received a formal invitation from UEFA and agreed to fly to London to watch the game.
Mattarella would not be the first president of the country to see Italy play in the final of a major tournament at the stadium. On 11 July 1982, Sandro Pertini (1896–1990) was at the Santiago Bernabéu in Madrid, following Azura’s 2–0 victory over Germany, which gave the country its third world title.
On that occasion, Pertini’s celebration in a goal scored by Marco Tardelli is well remembered. The former Italian president raised his hand waving his famous pipe in front of the then King of Spain, Juan Carlos, who smiled and rejoiced at the head of state.
In 2000, on 2 July, another Italian president, Carlo Ezeglio Ciampi (1920–2016), appeared in Rotterdam, Holland for the final of the Euro Cup. However, Azura was defeated by France. In 2006, Ciampi’s successor, Giorgio Napolitano, saw Italy pay the French back by winning a four-time world championship in Germany.
In the decision of the 1994 World Cup, in the United States, the duel between Italy and Brazil was accompanied by the then president of the Chamber, Irene Pivetti, who represented the country’s institutions on the officials’ podium.
Mattarella is not expected to be with Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, who is a big football fan. The politician, who is a fan of Roma, is expected to witness the conflict at his home in the Citta della Pieve.
Italy will face England in the final of the Euro Cup on Sunday. Azzurra will try to win the competition again after more than 50 years. .
