Little Italy explodes in celebration

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This article was published 11/07/2021 (1760 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Corydon Avenue erupted in celebration Sunday when after two nailbiting hours and nine penalty kicks, Italy won its first Euro Cup final since 1968.

Flags and coloured smoke trailed behind pickup trucks and blue jerseys twirled in the air as fans poured into the heart of Little Italy, revelling in the jubilation of a long-overdue win.

“I’m feeling proud,” Giuseppinda Stella, clad in a blue Italia tee, called out above the din at Bar Italia, where a crowd packed the bar and patio to its pandemic-restriction limit for the game.

“I’m going to wear this shirt all week, even if it stinks.”

Born and raised in Italy, Stella said she felt she could be herself surrounded by Italia fans at the bar. Her dad was routinely video-calling from a big family event in Italy, she said, allowing the family to feel they were watching the game together.

Stella floated between tables inside the bar Sunday, as legions of Italy and England fans alike came together to watch the final game in a Euro Cup series unlike any other.

During the second half of the game, as Italy trailed by one point, Christina Cannata, her sister Sabina and her father Raffaele crowded around a table under the flatscreens inside the bar, elated to be surrounded by friends, family, and fellow Italians.

“I feel it’s great because we’re all reuniting,” Raffaele said. “If you look around it’s all soccer lovers, people get together to watch a good game.”

“It brings you a sense of community,” said Christina. “We’re here just to have fun and celebrate. Win or lose its good to be with everyone in your community.”

After being in lockdown for nearly a year, the family said it was nice to be with friends to participate in “something worth celebrating — hopefully.”

A goal from Italy in the second half raised the energy in the bar to a fever pitch. COVID-be-damned, fans high-fived, hugged, kissed, waved the red-white-and-green flag and shot comments back and forth across the room.

“Italy’s been playing beautiful football this whole tournament,” said Joseph Beck, who came to quietly support England among Italy fans.

“I watched the World Cup, I watched the Euro right here in Bar Italia no matter who I cheer for. I saw Italia win the World Cup here, lose the World Cup here; this is my place to watch the big games.”

In non-COVID times it’s usually so crowded “you have to sharpen your elbows before you come,” but even without the standard crowds the energy was raucous in the heart of Winnipeg’s Little Italy Sunday evening.

“When it’s all over everybody here will greet each other and toast together, it’s a great atmosphere,” Beck said.

Indeed, after a game that stretched to a series of penalty shots, Corydon Avenue came alive in celebration — crowds chanted ‘I-ta-lia’ between cheers as a procession of cars and fans poured into the streets, in spite of the sweltering heat. Winnipeg Police lined the street to keep crowds and traffic under control, but still fans crowded together and mingled with strangers and friends alike. Sunday’s win — with a 3-2 final score — marked Italy’s first Euro win since 1968, and their first major cup since a FIFA World Cup win in 2006.

“I feel fantastic,” said Dino Longhi, 76, wearing an Italia scarf and a tailor-made red-white-and-green tie outside the bar as the game ended. “These are occasions where you celebrate for the good of sport and people.”

 

julia-simone.rutgers@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @jsrutgers