I AM delighted to see once again a front page which in my view expresses the view of anyone fed up with the way down south continue to bang on, even after defeat, with the attitude that they are now setting their sights on the World Cup. How you can turn a disastrous failure into some sort of moral victory leaves me bewildered, but Scotland are used to this.
Clearly there were those who were unhappy with “Roberto the Braveheart” front page, but the impact of it in Italy and Europe generally has been absolutely fantastic. The National has gone international.
The impact of this one front page has done more for publicising Scottish independence than anything I have read or seen since the Holyrood election. It is a terrific fightback to the anti-independence press who pour out their anti-Scots venom every day of the week. The real bonus is that The National actually got under the skins of English commentators, who with false outrage suggested we Scots were being disloyal!
READ MORE: How Italy reacted to The National's Euro 2020-Braveheart front page
Andrew Marr on his Sunday programme “read the papers” section gave The National air space throughout the UK. Of course, it was there to spout the indignation of an English audience.
Personally, I believe it gave independence a real boost. To see front page with its now famous Roberto/Braveheart front page with the Euro cup sitting on it and a victorious Roberto Mancini sitting next to both I can only describe as being unbelievable! Supplement this with pages two and three and the “message to Boris” and I can only suggest what a fantastic piece of journalism.
Not only is it provocative but at this time has provided a massive boost to the Yes faithful. It really is taking the fight to the UK/England backyard, indicating that we Scots are fed up with the indifference, arrogance of those south of the Border who cannot believe that there is a nation in this UK that not only has its own national football team with a great history but has every right o support whoever it wants.
You only need to read the history of football to disprove the fallacy of “football’s coming home”. It is already here in Scotland.
With your “new” international status I congratulate The National. Its clear that our independence message thanks to you is now more aware abroad than ever before. In fact you have made the UK sit up!
Dan Wood
Kirriemuir
AS you may imagine, we are living intense days in Italy after the great final victory against England at Euro 2020.
While we continue to celebrate such victory (but only for the next few days, and not for centuries as others would do), our European brothers and sisters and our friends all over the world are surprisingly continuing to celebrate with us.
This was unexpected and it could mean that either Italy and Italians are particularly appreciated for their way of playing soccer, or that our opponents at the Euro 2020 final have not been perceived by many as deserving such an important title which, I believe, represents a recognition not only for victory itself but also for the values that sport aims at spreading in our communities (such as fairness, respect, union, humility and sense of acceptance of failures).
READ MORE: Italians hit back as 100,000 England fans sign Euro 2020 ‘rematch’ petition
That said, I would like to thank The National for the special support given to Italy’s national team.
It transpires that your support and work, even when leading with hilarity on this occasion, are expressions of a peaceful and long protest that has reminded me of the values of freedom and resilience that inspired the fight for independence of the Italian patriots in the 19th century, as celebrated in our national anthem Fratelli d’Italia that still resounds in Wembley.
Thank you again for the great moments spent reading your newspaper with friends and colleagues during these happy days.
Lorenzo Calabrese
via email
I’M an Italian globetrotter and photojournalist. I was enchanted by the reaction of the Scottish people to the “humiliation” of the English team/monarchy/Prime Minister/trainer/players/fans (mostly drunk) by our Italian team at Wembley, in their own home.
I would like to sincerely thank all of you very much, European Scottish brothers. I can’t wait for you to come back to the EU very soon, finally free from that snobbish, nose-and-little-finger-up ex-conquerors that had not under-stood that empire is over and it will never come back!
Leave them alone on their way to their decadent end.
Franco Barbagallo
via email
THANKS to all the glorious, courageous, honourable people of Scotland for the support and sympathy shown to us Italians.
All this has done you a lot of honour, you are a great people and a great family.
You have always taught the world what strength and honour means, and I thank all of Scotland and also this great newspaper for the friendship shown to us Italians. Honour to the great Scotland.
Vincenzo Oricchio
via email
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