Italy’s soccer win kicks off big street party

July 12, 2021 Jaime DeJesus
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It was party time in Bensonhurst Sunday after Italy beat England to win the Euro Cup.

Italian-Americans took to the streets, many of them gathering outside the famous Villabata Alba bakery on 18th Avenue, where the game was shown on a big screen. 

Italy trailed 1-0 early on, but tied the score and then won the championship following penalty kicks, sending the crowd into a frenzy.

“It was awesome to see so many people there celebrating,” said Margaret A. “Of course, you had a few teenagers acting out, but besides that, everyone was just having a great time celebrating.”

The victory was extra sweet because Italy failed to qualify for the World Cup in 2018.

Carlo Scissura, chairman of the board of the Federation of Italian-American Organizations of Brooklyn and CEO of New York Building Congress, said the win was a moment of pride and excitement.

“The victory of Italy in the Euro Cup Sunday was a major turning point for Italy as a nation as it comes out of the pandemic as one of the hardest hit places in the world, and for the millions of Italians and Italian-Americans in the tri-state area, especially in NYC,” he said.

Longtime Bensonhurst resident Frank Scire video-chatted with family members in Sicily to show them the Brooklyn party.

“This is amazing,” he said.

“Italy winning the 2021 Euro Cup was surreal,” said Alessandra Peralta, granddaughter of Villabata Alba owner Emanuele Alaimo. “Not only were we able to celebrate the win but we were able to come together as a community and showcase our Italian pride. It will be a day that we will never forget.”

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