After 1-1 in full time, and extra time, the European Championship final went to penalties. Once there, Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho missed penalties for England and Jorginho had the chance to decide for Italy.
But the Italian penalty specialist missed. However, the situation was such that it was still a decisive penalty to strike – this time for England. Then the English national team captain Gareth Southgate sent forward substitute 19-year-old Arsenal talent Bukayo Saka.
Saka hit the penalty to the right – but unfortunately, for Saka and England, the Italian goalkeeper Gianlugi Donnarmma also went in the same direction and saved. Italy thus won and Saka became the scapegoat for England in their first championship final in 55 years.
While the Italians then celebrated, 19-year-old Saka broke down and was inconsolable. His teammates gathered around him for support – but C More’s expert Hasse Backe is critical of Southgate’s choice of penalty shooter.
– I can not help but wonder how he thinks (Southgate). What age are we at Saka? 19. These are tough offers, says Backe in TV4’s broadcast.
Kim Källström in TV4’s studio agrees with Backe.
– One can be hesitant to send such a young player in the situation as it will be. Fifth and decisive punishment, it will always be decisive, and then it’s tough when you are 19, says Källström.
Saka thus met the same fate as Southgate himself did in 1996 – when he missed the decisive penalty in England’s European Championship semi-final against Germany.
When Southgate met the media after the final loss, he took on the loss:
– We win and lose together. The choice of penalty shooters was my choice. It was my choice to ask the players to take the penalties they took. They should leave here with their heads held high. They should be incredibly proud of what they have achieved, Southgate said at his press conference after the match.
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