Perhaps it was just due to my elevated vantage point behind the Italian fans, but the atmosphere for the Italy versus France game was something quite special. Throughout the game Italian players acted as cheerleaders, windmilling their arms to a rabid reception. Certain fans faced away from the pitch as they conducted the gathered masses through the Inno di Mameli whilst the French sang La Marseillaise with pride reminiscent of Casablanca.
From the early stages though it was clear cries of Allez Les Bleus were not going to be enough. Ribery’s early injury summed up France’s shortcomings in through the match - unfortunate but laced with idiocy. With no hope of reaching the ball, the FC Bayern talisman launched his body towards the advancing Italian, damaging his own Achilles tendon and effectively ending the tournament for France. His replacement, Samir Nasri, then had the ignonimy of being brought off soon after being brought on, when a clumsy and poorly judged challenge by Eric Abidal took the French down to ten men.
France played their best football of the tournament but never looked likely to disrupt the Italian’s flow. Despite criticisms early in the tournament, I haven’t been convinced that Italy were ever playing that badly, and but for Luca Toni’s wasteful finishing they might have qualified with relative ease sooner.
As full time approached Antonio Cassano resumed cheerleader duties, taking it a step further after the final whistle by stripping to his underwear and throwing his kit into the crowd. Gigi Buffon initially took to saluting the crowd, but overcome with emotion he mounted the advertising hoardings to be one with the fans.
Walking away from the stadium I was pleased that I had managed to watch what could prove to be a defining game of football. The Italians have finally awoken for the tournament according to most, whilst France’s failure surely marks the end of an era for the likes of Thuram, Makelele and Henry. They may still have cameos to play, but no longer will the team be reliant on them.
As the stadium cleared the volunteers all met up in the volunteer centre to spend one final night together at the Letzigrund. In the morning the dismantling of anything connected with the championships at the stadium commences, and I suppose now is the time to be leaving Zurich.
