Italy squad meet President Mattarella in wake of their Euro 2020 victory

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On Sunday, Gareth Southgate’s team lost to Italy in the final of Euro 2020. The tense match ended on penalities. Marcus Rashford, Bukayo Saka and Jadon Sancho all missed their spot-kicks, leaving Italy with a 3-2 victory.

Now, Scottish newspaper, The National, has mocked England’s defeat and demanded the Italian manager, Roberto Mancini, should be given a knighthood.

In a letter to Downing Street, the paper – who nicknamed Mancini as ‘Roberto the Bruce’ – said the winning Italian team should be granted the “freedom of Scotland”.

The letter to the Prime Minister read: “While you may be upset at not being able to claim an England victory as a direct success of Brexit (given that there aren’t yet any others to be found), we are equally sure you will be magnanimous in defeat – just as you were when the Supreme Court ruled your prorogation of Parliament unlawful.

“As such, we believe it would be fitting for you as Prime Minister to have a new title bestowed on the manager of the Italian team, Roberto ‘The Bruce’ Mancini, for services to Scotland.

“We know you are a fan of giving spurious awards to your friends, so we thought you might like to do the same for one of our nation’s best-loved football figures.

“We were thinking of something like ‘Roberto the Bruce of Wembley’?

“It would also be fitting to grant the winning Italian team the freedom of Scotland – something we’re sure you would also find useful in order to avoid having to leave Bute House by the back door in future.”

Ahead of England’s final clash with Italy, the National also printed a front page of Mancini as Braveheart.

The headline read: “Save us Roberto, you’re our… Final hope.

“We can’t take another 55 years of them banging on about this.”

The National’s bitter attempts to dishearten England came after Scotland came last in their group – despite drawing against the Three Lions.

Throughout Euro 2020, many Scots hit out at England’s success in the competition.

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Gordon Smart, former journalist and editor of The Scottish Sun, said Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish fans are reminded every three seconds regarding England’s 1966 World Cup win.

He also took aim at the notion of Scotland being part of the Three Lions’ success, adding that Scotland is part of the United Kingdom and not England.

However, a Scottish lawyer previously lashed out at the “desperate” attempts from Scotland.

Roddy Dunlop QC tweeted before the final: “A plea. Can we Scots, please, stop proclaiming ‘only one team England haven’t beaten in the Euros’?

“I know I’m new to the beautiful game, but ‘we’ didn’t beat anyone and came last in the group and, frankly, it’s just desperate.

“Sorry. Maybe just cheer on England? Sorry again.”

Scotland to date has not won the European Championship, nor even made it to the final throughout the history of the competition.

Following England’s defeat, several players have been subjected to horrendous racist abuse.

SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon condemned the racist comments and said England’s players are a “credit to their country, to sport and to basic decency”.

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