England arrives in Serravalle. San Marino hopes for another goal from …
Serravalle is preparing to host, this evening, one of the most fascinating challenges in the history of the national team San Marino: at 8.45pm the European vice-champions of theEngland. The first leg at Wembley was over 5-0 for the “Three Lions”. It was March 25, and no one in that stadium imagined that in a few months the home team would find themselves playing a much more important match against the “neighbors” of San Marino: the final of the European Championship, then lost, against Italy.
On that occasion, he thought about “inaugurating” one of the most prestigious stadiums in the world Nicola Nanni. 21 years old, about 1 and 90 tall, by profession striker, plays in Serie C, at Lucchese, on loan from Crotone. Nanni, who was born and raised in San Marino, on the Titan, scored the first goal in his career, between club and national team, in the 7-1 collected in September by Poland. A goal that the San Marino national team had been missing since 2019. But the records don’t stop there: San Marino nsu had ever scored to a team in the top 30 of the FIFA rankings in the last set. “It was a unique emotion, something special. I still have to recover “, I had told Nanni a GianlucaDiMarzio.com. “For the first time my grandfather was also in the stands, along with the other relatives. It was great for them too, after a long time since they hadn’t been able to come to the stadium“.
“A creepy atmosphere at Wembley”
And tonight that public will not fail in Serravalle, unlike what happened in March a Wembley. That race was beautiful but also paradoxical: “You are there, against eleven of the best players in the world, and there is no one in the stands of that huge stadium. A thrilling atmosphere“. Even if, off the pitch,”we found incredible esteem and respect from the English fans towards us. We have received many messages and we are very happy“. Then: “I have a beautiful memory of that evening, the shirt I exchanged with Lingard. One of the most beautiful in my collection, alongside those of Mancini and Vertonghen“.
Between Lewa, Kane, Lukaku and Simy
Tonight Nanni will have the opportunity to take a very close look at one of the greatest in the world at his craft, Harry Kane. Although he was inspired by a great master of the role like Lewandowski: “In the first half against Poland I looked at him and… he scored two goals with disarming ease. You can’t do anything about it. I remember an action in which three of us marked him and he climbed everyone as if he were on the pitch. And of another category and you can see it from the little things, from the way he talks to his teammates and from the weight he has towards them ”.
Another champion that Nanni has faced is Lukaku: “He’s a player overflowing physically, but perhaps less complete than Lewa. In any case, due to his characteristics, he is one of my greatest references and I try to learn a lot from him “… As he learned a lot from simy, teammate al Crotone in the 2018-19 season and in the various summer retreats between loans (Nanni also passed through Cesena and Monopoli): “Besides being a great striker, she is one wonderful person. You can ask him anything and he will always answer you kindly. Playing together was a fortune and a great opportunity “. The question then arises: e Messias? “We made an attacking couple in a Coppa Italia match against Sampdoria. It is very strong, and it only takes a few minutes to understand it ”. But today Nicola intends to imitate his models only in one aspect: a goal to England, what would smell of history.
Curated by Luca Bendoni