There was a song that accompanied the Italy squad throughout their triumphant UEFA EURO 2020, but it wasn’t Notti Magiche – it was a ditty about a diet.
The documentary Sogno Azzurro aired on RAI 1 this evening and showed never before seen behind-the-scenes footage of the Azzurri at work and play.
After several games, the players came together to sing Notti Magiche, the official theme of the 1990 World Cup in Italy, although the formal name of the song is Un’Estate Italiana.
The documentary reveals there was another song that proved the backbone to their European Championship.
It’s called ‘Ma Quale Dieta’ and performed by Neapolitan artist Luca Il Sole di Notte.
This was brought to the Italy camp by Lorenzo Insigne, who acts as DJ for the group much of the time in training and on long journeys.
The lyrics of the song, which are in Neapolitan dialect, go something like this:
‘What diet? I like meatballs, I like a pork chop, I ate at 4, now I’m hungry again and it’s only 7.’
The players were interviewed for the documentary talking about the song, which had become something of a good luck charm.
There was even a moment on a bus with Alessandro Florenzi having taken his shoe off to slap it against the window in time.
sto adorando tutto #SognoAzzurro
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“Locatelli and I, the first few times we heard that song on the bus, we looked at each other as if to say, where on earth are we? But now we’re the first who want to hear it on the bus. It has become a sort of rite before games, in the gym, everywhere,” said Matteo Pessina.
Giorgio Chiellini also confessed he had been dragged into the mood of the song.
“We have a group of ultras/DJs who filled the playlists with Neapolitan songs. I don’t even know who the singer is, all I know is that it’s called ‘Ma Quale Dieta?’ and I had to learn the chorus to join in with the lads.”