Sport | Football Mattia Zaccagni grew up with posters of Alessandro Del Piero all over his bedroom walls — and last night he followed in the footsteps of his idol. With just seconds left in Leipzig, Italy were crying out for a hero as they trailed Croatia 1-0 and Zaccagni rose to the occasion. The substitute secured Italy the draw they needed to reach the last-16 of Euro 2024 with virtually the last kick of the game, curling the ball into the top corner to finish off a flowing counter.
It brought back memories of Del Piero’s brilliant breakaway goal against Germany in the semi-finals of the 2006 World Cup and Zaccagni has now rewritten himself into Azzurri folklore, too. “I’m speechless, I’m over the moon,” he said. “Del Piero was always my idol, I had his posters on my wall as a child.
“Before we went off to Germany, he met us in camp and since then we were able to talk via Instagram too and it was so exciting. I hope he messages tonight! “I honestly hadn’t even realised it was the last kick of the game. When the ball came to me, I didn’t think twice.
” Zaccagni’s goal sparked wild celebrations and he said after he was “wrecked” as his team-mates mobbed him. Manager Luciano Spalletti went charging off down the touchline — not quite in the manner of Jose Mourinho but enough to get him booked. Favourable path to Euro 2024 final opens up for England Backfiring Shaw gamble underlines baffling decision to ignore alternative left-backs Sesko: Slove.
