
In one of the most dramatic European Championship finals, Italy defeated England 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw at Wembley Stadium . Despite England’s lightning-fast start—Luke Shaw’s 1’57” opener set a Euro final record—Italy equalized through Leonardo Bonucci in the second half. The match descended into a tense penalty shootout, where Gianluigi Donnarumma saved efforts from Bukayo Saka and Jadon Sancho, while Andrea Belotti’s miss was the only blip for the Azzurri. This victory ended Italy’s 53-year wait for a major trophy and extended their unbeaten streak to 34 games, a testament to Roberto Mancini’s transformative leadership.