The Italian job
THE WEEK|July 25, 2021
Roberto Mancini’s Euro 2020 heist involved a dangerous gamble to shake up Italian football
REUBEN JOE JOSEPH
The Italian job

One of the lasting images of the UEFA Euro 2020 final will be of Italy captain Giorgio Chiellini’s Zen-like visage as the notorious English crowd booed the Italian national anthem. Chiellini, 36, stood with his eyes closed, chin up and with a flicker of a smile on his face. The hostility was not going to spoil his day, because nobody enjoyed this Euro as much as he did.

Throughout the tournament, in tense moments or even after committing fouls, Chiellini wore a smile, transmitting calmness to his teammates. He celebrated every crucial clearance by his team as if it were a goal scored. The bearhug he wrapped Spain captain Jordi Alba in, at the coin toss for extra time in the semifinal, unnerved the latter. Chiellini was a warrior and a giddy child at the same time; sword in one hand, bubble gun in the other.

It is this strange combination that got the team past the finish line, beating England on penalties to win their first European trophy in 53 years. Il Capitano’s energy and enjoyment were just what the doctor—head coach Roberto Mancini—had ordered. For decades, Italian football had attracted contempt for being too pragmatic, too negative with their iconic catenaccio system that put excessive emphasis on defence. The Italians did not care as it won them four World Cups. But Mancini knew that a revolution was necessary to succeed in these times. In a tournament filled with captivating and heartwarming tales, the rebranding and revival of Italy was a narrative that emerged above the others.

Diese Geschichte stammt aus der July 25, 2021-Ausgabe von THE WEEK.

Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.

Diese Geschichte stammt aus der July 25, 2021-Ausgabe von THE WEEK.

Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.

WEITERE ARTIKEL AUS THE WEEKAlle anzeigen
William Dalrymple goes further back
THE WEEK India

William Dalrymple goes further back

Indian readers have long known William Dalrymple as the chronicler nonpareil of India in the early years of the British raj. His latest book, The Golden Road, is a striking departure, since it takes him to a period from about the third century BC to the 12th-13th centuries CE.

time-read
3 Minuten  |
November 17, 2024
The bleat from the street
THE WEEK India

The bleat from the street

What with all the apps delivering straight to one’s doorstep, the supermarkets, the food halls and even the occasional (super-expensive) pop-up thela (cart) offering the woke from field-to-fork option, the good old veggie-market/mandi has fallen off my regular beat.

time-read
2 Minuten  |
November 17, 2024
Courage and conviction
THE WEEK India

Courage and conviction

Justice A.M. Ahmadi's biography by his granddaughter brings out behind-the-scenes tension in the Supreme Court as it dealt with the Babri Masjid demolition case

time-read
2 Minuten  |
November 17, 2024
EPIC ENTERPRISE
THE WEEK India

EPIC ENTERPRISE

Gowri Ramnarayan's translation of Ponniyin Selvan brings a fresh perspective to her grandfather's magnum opus

time-read
4 Minuten  |
November 17, 2024
Upgrade your jeans
THE WEEK India

Upgrade your jeans

If you don’t live in the top four-five northern states of India, winter means little else than a pair of jeans. I live in Mumbai, where only mad people wear jeans throughout the year. High temperatures and extreme levels of humidity ensure we go to work in mulmul salwars, cotton pants, or, if you are lucky like me, wear shorts every day.

time-read
2 Minuten  |
November 17, 2024
Garden by the sea
THE WEEK India

Garden by the sea

When Kozhikode beach became a fertile ground for ideas with Manorama Hortus

time-read
4 Minuten  |
November 17, 2024
RECRUITERS SPEAK
THE WEEK India

RECRUITERS SPEAK

Industry requirements and selection criteria of management graduates

time-read
3 Minuten  |
November 17, 2024
MORAL COMPASS
THE WEEK India

MORAL COMPASS

The need to infuse ethics into India's MBA landscape

time-read
5 Minuten  |
November 17, 2024
B-SCHOOLS SHOULD UNDERSTAND THAT INDIAN ECONOMY IS GOING TO WITNESS A TREMENDOUS GROWTH
THE WEEK India

B-SCHOOLS SHOULD UNDERSTAND THAT INDIAN ECONOMY IS GOING TO WITNESS A TREMENDOUS GROWTH

INTERVIEW - Prof DEBASHIS CHATTERJEE, director, Indian Institute of Management, Kozhikode

time-read
3 Minuten  |
November 17, 2024
COURSE CORRECTION
THE WEEK India

COURSE CORRECTION

India's best b-schools are navigating tumultuous times. Hurdles include lower salaries offered to their graduates and students misusing AI

time-read
8 Minuten  |
November 17, 2024