Leonardo Spinazzola looks back over the UEFA EURO 2020 triumph and the Roma left-back reveals he’s writing a book about that Italy experience, including the injury. ‘I could not have asked for better.’
He had been heading towards Player of the Tournament status with two Man of the Match awards before his competition was cruelly cut short during the quarter-final against Belgium by a torn Achilles tendon.
“I am working hard and seeing results in the way the tendon is responding, so I am very happy,” Spinazzola told Sky Sport Italia a month on from lifting the trophy while balancing on crutches.
“It was the best day of my life, apart of course from the birth of my children. I could not have asked for better in my career.
“During the Belgium game, I thought it had to happen that way, but 30 minutes later I was already thinking about how I’d make my comeback.”
Italy were pushed to extra time by Austria in the Round of 16, winning 2-1 with goals from substitutes Federico Chiesa and Matteo Pessina.
“That was the toughest test we’d had until that point, they were intense and aggressive, but that’s also when we realised that we were a great team. We fought against difficulties and never gave up.”
That belief was also instilled by coach Roberto Mancini and his assistant and good friend Gianluca Vialli.
“The coach was formidable from the start, he told us straight away that we could win this. Gianluca is the wise man of the group, he always finds the right words at the right time. Few words, but ones with real depth to them.”
Spinazzola reveals plans to use this extra time off from playing to set down his memories of EURO 2020 in a book.
“It’s going to be a book on the Euros rather than on my life. I’ll try to show what we experienced during those incredible days. What we were, what we are and will be, it’s in a book that should be released in September or October.”
Great .. and come back soon stronger 💙💪🍀
I’ll be buying that book for sure. Grande Spina