England, Italy and the power of national pride

As an Englishman in enemy territory I am lucky that love is a more powerful emotion than patriotism otherwise after a month of Euro 2020, climaxing in tonight’s final between Italy and England, my marriage to my Italian wife, Carla, would be well and truly on the rocks – even though she is a devout Catholic.

Carla is so fiercely pro gli azzurri that it is a case of ‘o con noi, o contro di noi’ (either with us or against us) – the clarion call of the fascist dictator Benito Mussolini.

Every time the Italians have scored a goal this past month my very fiery wife has exploded from the mega sofa in front of the wide-screen TV we got from a bar roaring ‘Si!’ and ‘Grande!’ and ‘Che uomo!’ (what a man!) as have our six children aged five to 17.

Victory for Italy in a match has had all seven of them ranting and raving and leaping up and down and hugging and kissing as if they had not seen each other for years, before launching into a boisterous parade round the house and out into the garden led by Carla doing the conga.