Euro 2020: Jubilant Italy fans celebrate victory over England

The Italian team arrived home on Monday morning

Italian football fans have been celebrating across the country after their football team defeated England 3-2 on penalties in the Euro 2020 final in London.

The team were given a hero's welcome as they arrived back in Rome on Monday.

Crowds cheered as Captain Giorgio Chiellini held up the trophy, won only once before by Italy in 1968.

The BBC's Mark Lowen in Rome says the victory has brought joy back to Italy after the hell of the pandemic.

The star of what they're calling an Italian miracle is coach Roberto Mancini, transforming a national team from the shame of failing to qualify for the last World Cup to a side unbeaten now in 34 games.

He has brought youth and confidence to the Italian team and made Italians fall back in love with the "Azzurri".

Captain Giorgio Chiellini wore a crown on his head as the team arrived to cheering crowds at their hotel.

The triumphant team landed at Rome's Fiumicino airport early on Monday morning. Crowds cheered as they disembarked, and later as they arrived at their hotel.

Chiellini - wearing a crown - held aloft the trophy, which he'd kept next to him on his bed overnight.

Later in the day, they were welcomed by Italian President Sergio Mattarella, before going on to meet Prime Minister Mario Draghi later.

Sunday night began with stunned silence as England scored an early goal but was transformed by the elation of the Italian equaliser.

Wild celebrations followed after a penalty shoot-out that some could barely watch from nerves.

At a fan zone in Rome, thousands of supporters started jumping in pure elation, shouting and hugging each other after a missed penalty by England's Bukayo Saka signalled Italy's victory.

• England lose shootout in Euro 2020 final

• Football-mad Italians gear up for big night

Ecstatic fans started street parties across the country immediately.

"I am so happy! We are Euro champions, I am going to celebrate all night, I am going to celebrate all night!" Beatrice Mattioli in Rome told Reuters news agency.

"It's incredible, it's incredible, you can't feel better than this, it is amazing, we won the final!" said Stefano Gucci, another supporter in the Italian capital.

Fans celebrated outside Rome's Colosseum

In Naples, fans sounded car horns as they drove around the southern Italian city

There were nervy moments for Italian supporters during the tense final that ended 1-1 after extra-time