Salvatore Sirigu sent a message to his Italy teammates ahead of the opening game against Turkey at the Euros. ‘When you don’t play, you try to help in another way’.
The Torino goalkeeper was the second choice behind Gianluigi Donnarumma, who was named the best player of the tournament by UEFA.
Sirigu played one minute against Wales in the third group stage game at the Euros, but said he tried to contribute from the bench too.
“When you are not playing, you have two options: either you wait your turn in silence, or you try to help in another way,” Sirigu told Corriere della Sera.
“The idea started almost by chance, on the eve of the game with Turkey. We were changing and we didn’t know what we were going to face.
“I wrote some sentences on the phone, I saved them. And then I decided to send them.”
He explained what he wrote in the WhatsApp chat with the Azzurri players.
“We have been coming from a year and a half where football has not been the same, for us it’s already a win to enter a stadium with fans,” he wrote. “Let’s remember that united, you are stronger, And the more united you are, the stronger you are. Let’s enjoy it, because many would like to be in our place.”