London (AFP)

Imperial to deflect two English shots on goal in a molten Wembley stadium, goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma was the great man of Italy, European champion on Sunday (1-1 ap, 3-2 tab), and is promised , at 22, has a bright future.

He's the hero of London!

Already decisive on Tuesday to stop Alvaro Morata's attempt in the penalty shootout of the semi-final against Spain, "Gigio" did it again in front of Jadon Sancho then Bukayo Saka, winning his duel from a distance against Jordan Pickford.

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The strikes of the two Englishmen struck the firm hand of the phenomenon keeper of the Nazionale.

A few seconds earlier, he had already disrupted the run-up of Marcus Rashford, who touched the post on his attempt.

From the height of his meter eighty-six, the player whose contract with AC Milan ended at the end of June and who is announced leaving for Paris SG, will remain one of the strong men of the Italian coronation, and of 'a crazy series of 34 unbeaten matches for the selection of Roberto Mancini.

His performance on Sunday also symbolizes all the maturity acquired by the Italian goalkeeper ... He can do nothing on the first goal scored by Luke Shaw (2nd), then has absolutely no intervention to make during the rest of the meeting, apart from two aerial sorties in overtime.

Little disturbed by this lack of chances on the English side (only one shot on target), Donnarumma was able to wait, then get back in the saddle when needed, for the penalty shootout.

And the looks, smiling and confident, exchanged with his teammates just before the start of it proved that the Italians did not have much concern about the ability of their goalkeeper to level with the meeting, despite his young age.

- Known by Zoff -

This session came to reward an almost perfect Euro for the native of the Neapolitan metropolis, with only four goals conceded and a general impression of great solidity, behind the two defenders of the selection, Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci.

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"I make myself heard and my teammates listen to me too. The goalkeeper must give orders to the defense and we must always feel security and confidence," he said in recent days, sure of his strengths.

His contribution to the Italian selection is unanimous in the country, which saw him emerge among young people in Naples, then in professionals in Milan, where he will be replaced by the French Mike Maignan.

"I have great regard for him. He is young, he has already played many seasons with Milan and played a lot for the national team. The obvious is that he has important prospects to become a great. goalkeeper. Then it will depend on him, but the possibilities are immense, "enthused Dino Zoff, a glorious predecessor, in an interview with AFP this week.

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With such support and such assurance, there is no doubt that the future of "Gigio" is all mapped out.

The trophy cabinet is not yet as full as that of Gianluigi Buffon, whom he succeeded in selection.

But Donnarumma could quickly start to garnish her in Paris after her London triumph.

© 2021 AFP