IRELAND’S SENSATIONAL VICTORY over Italy is grabbing headlines around Europe this morning as the Boys in Green booked their place in the knockout stages of Euro 2016.
Robbie Brady’s 85th minute header sent the country into delirium as Martin O’Neill’s men pulled off one of the great wins in Ireland’s footballing history.
There’s little surprise one man is plastered on the front page of every newspaper at home today but Ireland’s heroics have caught the eye further afield too.
French sports daily newspaper L’Équipe have an incredible image of Brady, Wes Hoolahan and captain on the night, Seamus Coleman, celebrating with the thousands of Irish fans inside the stadium on their front page.
‘Que la fête recommence!’ or ‘Let the party begin’ is the simple, but glorious, headline emblazoned across the front.
Inside the paper, the report spoke of ‘Ireland’s heart’ and how the team could use their collective spirit to conjure a late winner and book a date with hosts France in Lyon on Sunday.
In a separate article, journalist Vincent Duluc looks ahead to this weekend’s last 16 tie, saying Ireland will have a ‘score to settle’ after the injustice of 2009.
He writes ‘the ghosts’ of that infamous night are sure to resurface with Ireland set to lock horns with Les Blues for the first time since Thierry Henry’s hand shattered Trap’s World Cup hopes.
The paper’s player ratings are, however, questionable with some of the Ireland players given particularly low scores. The French are playing mind games already, it seems.
In La Gazzetta dello Sport, the Italian media were fairly harsh on their side, with the headline reading ‘Give us back Italy’ after Conte’s side slumped to defeat.
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