By Fredrick Njuguna
Italy’s under 17’s national team beat Portugal warping 3-0 to win the U17 European Championship. Goals from Roma’s midfielder Federico Coletta and Milan’s teen-age sensation Francesco Camarda gave the team a 2-0 cushion by the 16th minute.
Camarda added his goal tally in the 50th minute by scoring his second.
The young Italians won the competition with a 100% record in the group matches, beating England on penalties in the quarter-finals, defeating Denmark in the semis and Portl in the finals.
This victory marked the team’s first win in the U17’s competition. They had only won the competition once between 1982 and 2001 when the competition was run in the Under-16 age category.
This victory also makes Italy the reigning champions of Europe of the Under 17’s, Under 19’s and senior men’s in the respective Euros championship.
Italy’s Under 19’s won the Euros by beating Portugal 1-0. The senior men’s team won the last Euro championship in 2020 by beating England 3-2 on penalties after drawing 1-1.