Chris Adams: Southgate & this group of players make me proud to be English. Those posting racial abuse online, intimidating others & forcing their way into Wembley make me ashamed to be English. There’s a reason why some of us recoil from our national flag & anthem. They’re it.

Italy

The Italian football team have arrived back in Rome after defeating England in the Euro 2020 final.

Captain Giorgio Chiellini stepped off the plane with trophy in hand as fans hailed their return.

Italians celebrated through the night, marking the countries first European title win since 1968.

BBC Sounds

Naga Munchetty’s programme on BBC Radio 5 Live has been looking at how to prevent players experiencing racist abuse.

Iffy Onuora is the Premier League’s Head of Equality.

He says “hard-hitting government legislation” is needed to address the abuse on social media.

“It’s a global issue,” he added. “A lot of abuse on social media comes from around the world so we need that government legislation with teeth.

“It’s up to society how much we ask our politicians to be held to account for what they’re saying. Does what they say in public match their legislation?”

Lord Ouseley is the founder of Kick it Out, which campaigns for equality in football.

He said there is “so much more inclusivity” in football today and education had played a large part in that.

“We’ve got to make sure we don’t lose sight of the gains we’ve made,” he said.

But he also called on those at the top of society to legislate against the social media platforms.

“What are they doing about the platforms that are publishing these hateful messages?” he asked.

Robertlepongeauthor: Today I'm two people. A broken-hearted fan, confident that we've improved so much under Southgate but aren't quite there yet. I'm also a dad of two mixed race kids, disgusted at the behaviour of morons, and worried for the future football involvement of my grandkids.

Alistair Magowan
BBC Sport

I've been in touch with fan Alex Hurst, who also sits on the board of the Newcastle United Supporters' Trust, who was at Wembley on Sunday.

He says "lots of people felt abandoned by the lack of police presence" and it's the "worst security operation" he's seen.

He said: "Walking along Wembley Way you were walking across a lot of broken glass, rubbish and urine.

"Central London was out of control and I didn’t see a single member of the police force doing anything about the social disorder. I think I saw six police officers on Wembley Way responsible for 67,000 people and the tens of thousands more who didn’t have tickets."

Francesca Gunn: Am I annoyed that Rashford missed an open goal? Yes. But I would never resort to racially abusing him. Even more so Saka - he is 19-years-old & doesn’t deserve abuse. If anyone is to blame it’s Southgate for letting a kid take a penalty and take it last.

Laura Scott
BBC Sport News Correspondent

I’ve spoken with former Liverpool and Leeds defender Dominic Matteo, who didn’t make it into Wembley last night because of the crowd trouble.

He took a decision on safety grounds, given his health issues in recent years and on advice of police, who advised him not to go in given the trouble at the stadium.

He couldn’t move because of the number of fans running in, saw children crying, a mum who had got separated from her two children and said there weren’t any checks.

He also says he thinks stewards need to be better-equipped, and have been scapegoated, and that the police presence wasn’t big enough.

Here's the front page of Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport.

They've gone with the headline Too Beautiful - Italy champion of Europe.

Translated via Google Translate

David Fletcher: At what stage do we actually start naming those who are causing the pain rather than seemingly not doing anything about it and letting them roam social media.

Players' union the PFA says a lack of intervention from social media companies is allowing racist abuse to thrive on platforms.

Responding to the news Jadon Sancho, Bukayo Saka and Marcus Rashford were racially abused on social media following England's defeat to Italy on Sunday, the PFA said: "Social platforms must permanently ban all offending accounts and proactively compile evidence to give to the police to pursue prosecution."

The statement added: "Over the past few weeks, our England team have demonstrated courage and class, on and off the pitch. Most importantly though, they have shown us what the best of England can be.

"When you abuse any of our players, you abuse all of us. Racist abuse causes trauma. It will impact the targeted players, their teammates, and we know it will also affect their peers."

Daniel Ingram: So that's a thing for @FA, external, @EFL, external, and @premierleague, external to consider, put it in the terms and conditions of ticket purchases that any stadium ban will not result in a refund. Also, @leytonorientfc, external, share the name with these organisations to stop them going to ANY game.

BBC Sounds

Stuart called BBC Radio 5 Live's 606 to congratulate the players. "I don’t know why we’re all so down, why we're all so miserable. We’ve had the most wonderful tournament… it’s come towards the end of the lockdown period and it’s been an absolute joy from the first game.

"We lost on penalties, Italy were the better team in the end so congratulations to them. But we need to be so happy about how we’re doing.

"We got to the final – okay, we lost the final, but all those games before that we had to win to get there… all that joy... let’s just enjoy what we had."

Amrul Choudhury: The racist abuse we have seen is absolutely disgusting. This is a major problem. Has anything really changed from the last 50/100+ years? I don't think so, we are still surrounded by idiots living in the dark ages.

Mark Lowen
BBC News, Rome

Image source, Reuters

The fan zone on Rome's Piazza del Popolo echoed the emotions of the night: from stunned silence with the early England goal to the elation of the Italian equaliser - and then to wild celebrations after a penalty shoot-out that some could barely watch from nerves.

Flares and fireworks blasted out, Italian flags filled the skies and utter joy has returned to a country that needed it desperately. After the hell of the pandemic, football heaven has brought the smiles back to this nation.

The star of what they're calling an Italian miracle is 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". And so Italy has won its first European football title since 1968: champions of Europe but tonight this country feels on top of the world.

Euro 2020 organisers Uefa have released a statement addressing the abuse of England players.

"Uefa strongly condemns the disgusting racist abuse directed at several England players on social media after the Euro final, which has no place in football or society.

"We stand by the players and the English FA's call for the strongest possible punishments."

England

Image source, Getty Images

Gareth Southgate has been speaking about Bukayo Saka, who received racist abuse on social media after the Euro 2020 final.

"Bukayo in particular has been an absolute star in this tournament, he has shown incredible maturity and the way he has played has brought a smile to so many people's faces," said the England boss.

"He's become such a popular member of the group and I know he has got everybody's support."