Azzurri in safe hands
Italian goalkeeper Donnarumma was the star in tournament of standout shot stoppers
THE waviest iteration of an Italy side in recent memory. Wingers running purposefully wild, like stallions with choreography. A midfield trio who just about make it up to your armpits zipping a million passes and finding space where there is none.
A more iconic centreback pairing you could not name. Yet a goalkeeper walks away as not just their standout, but the player of all players at Euro 2020. And, somehow, it makes perfect sense.
Gianluigi Donnarumma, at 22, will probably have been satisfied enough with a European Championship. It is, after all, his first major trophy in a cupboard that was never going to be bare.
The extra trinket of the player of the tournament award another exclamation point of many. Only Peter Schmeichel has previously won this individual award for work between the posts.
The immediacy of his award will lean on the penalty saves. Heck, why shouldn’t it? But facts do the job better. Italy scored 13 goals this tournament – no one had scored more – and conceded just four.
Donnarumma, with three clean sheets, has been an ever-present in that backline, playing 719 minutes, the most of anyone. Nine saves, all in.
That said, even the numbers don’t tell the whole story. There was the save to foil Alvaro Morata in the shootout of Italy’s victory over Spain in the semifinal, along with key interventions of fisted crosses and the general tidiness we take for granted.
Even his demeanour dips under the radar. He carries the tools of all the top grifters: funny without making you laugh, suggestive without making suggestions. Each save is notable but part of the job.
He’s not the biggest shouter, though perhaps he’ll get that with age. For all the deserved plaudits Giorgio Chiellni has received, Donnarumma rather than Bonucci has been his straight man: urging him to push up or across.
He does this to the rest of his backline of course. But that’s a lot easier when the alpha is hanging on your every word.
There are also the expected extras. He was involved in a stand-off with Jordan Henderson, who took exception to his remonstrations at Raheem Sterling after the England winger had hit the ground in the box.
Arguments were said to have continued into the tunnel with Donnarumma ushered away by his own coaching staff. And yet, he emerged unrattled for the second half and the rest that was to follow. Italy know exactly what they have in Donnarumma. As do Paris SaintGermain, who will call him their own next season after signing him yesterday. Similarly, AC Milan will know what they have lost, beyond the sizeable transfer fee.
He will also probably be Italy’s No. 1 between the post for a good, long while now, much like Gianluigi Buffon before him.
Indeed this could be the start of something quite special. The likes of Federico Chiesa, Nicolo Barella, Manuel Locatelli are Domenico Berardi are young enough and, now, experienced in victory enough to instigate a golden period for the Azzurri.
The green amid the glorious blue now don a streak of gold, and with talent bubbling beneath the surface, we could be on the cusp of the longer-term return of an established force driven by youth.
And Donnarumma will undoubtedly be at the forefront of that, leading from behind with the quiet presence of greatness. With this success, he has pencilled in his name among the goalkeeping greats of Buffon, Dino
Zoff, Sebastian Rossi and Walter Zenga.