LONDON - Four people have been arrested over online racist abuse aimed at members of the England soccer team after Sunday's European Championship final, British police said on Thursday.
A specialist team is looking into the offensive comments, police said, after three Black players — Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka — were targeted with racist abuse on social media sites Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Following the Euro 2020 final where Italy narrowly defeated England on penalties, both sides displayed the true highs and lows of soccer.
Italians were put on top of the world as they secured just their second-ever European Championship and first since 1968. From their fans pouring onto the streets and erupting in joy to Italy’s team stripping down to tighty whities, Italians made sure to properly celebrate the moment.
But the spectrum of reactions following the Euro 2020 final from both squads and their fans couldn't have been further apart.
UEFA has opened disciplinary proceedings and charged England's Football Association (FA) for disturbances during Sunday's Euro 2020 final against Italy at Wembley, Europe's soccer governing body said on Tuesday.
UEFA also said it had appointed an Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector to conduct a separate investigation into the "events involving supporters which occurred inside and around the stadium".
The final, which Italy won in a penalty shootout, was marred by clashes between fans and officials in and around the stadium.
Roy Keane said England teenager Bukayo Saka should not have been given the task of taking their crucial fifth penalty in Sunday's shootout defeat by Italy in the Euro 2020 final.
Saka, 19, had to score to send the shootout to sudden death but his kick was saved by Gianluigi Donnarumma. The Italian goalkeeper had also saved from Jadon Sancho after Marcus Rashford had hit the post.
DONNARUMMA SAVES THE PENALTY!
LONDON - Black players in the England soccer team have been subjected to a storm of online racist abuse after their defeat in the final of Euro 2020, drawing wide condemnation from the squad's manager Gareth Southgate along with royalty and politicians.
Marcus Rashford, 23, Jadon Sancho, 21, and Bukayo Saka, 19, were the targets of the abuse after they missed spot-kicks in a penalty shootout with Italy which settled Sunday's final after the game finished as a 1-1 draw.
Surrounded by a reported 200,000 raucous fans in the Wembley area (and far more than the stated 60,000 inside the ground), Italy played spoiler in the Euro 2020 final at a level unseen since the Spartans pushed back the Persians at the Hot Gates.
"Inglaterra realmente juega un fútbol increíblemente asustado. Si eso es lo que hacen con el plantel que tienen, creo que es miserable". La frase la dijo el ex-futbolista neerlandés, Pierre van Hooijdonk, en la previa de la final de la Euro entre los Tres Leones e Italia y ahora vuelven a resonar, luego de que los ingleses comenzaran ganando la definición, pero terminarán con el corazón roto al caer en los penales ante la Azzurra.
The consensus among many was that Gareth Southgate had been too cautious with his starting lineup against Italy on Sunday in the Euro 2020 final. The England manager made one change from the semifinal, bringing in Kieran Trippier and adopting a back-five while winger Bukayo Saka dropped to the bench.
Steve McManaman called it a mistake on ESPN during the pregame show. It took all of one minute and 57 seconds to see that McManaman had been mistaken.
LONDON - Tens of thousands of supporters descended on London's Wembley Stadium on Sunday, kick-starting an alcohol-fueled party hours before England play Italy in the final of Euro 2020.
By lunchtime the pavements around England's national stadium were slick with beer, while supporters sang, chanted and hurled drinks while police looked on. Some climbed on top of buses.
Around two hours before the game, security staff told Reuters that some fans had run past stewards to get into the ground without tickets, forcing officials to halt arrivals briefly.
LONDON — Britain's Queen Elizabeth has sent a message to the England soccer manager to wish the team luck ahead of the country's most anticipated game since the 1966 World Cup final.
England are due to play Italy on Sunday in the Euro 2020 final at London's Wembley Stadium, prompting excitement across the country, with beer sales soaring and special permission for children to start school late on Monday.