A glimpse of the past: Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma was the hero of the final shootout. Ivo Viktor caught nothing in 1976

For the second time in history, the European champion was decided by a penalty kick, with Italy beating England 3-2. The Czechoslovak team made their debut at the 1976 European Championship in Yugoslavia, when Antonín Panenka gilded the team with his immortal long kick against Germany. While this year their hero was Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, who destroyed two attempts of the opponent (the third one went wide), Ivo Viktor caught nothing in 1976.

Although the Czechoslovak legend Ivo Viktor, also a participant in the 1970 World Cup in Mexico, eventually cheered at Belgrade’s Marakana Stadium with his teammates, he did not eliminate a single attempt by the German shooters. “Unfortunately, I picked the wrong side,” he admits.

“And the Germans kicked them very well, too,” acknowledging the successful shots by the opposing players in the order of Bonhof, Flohe and Bongartz. “Fortunately, Hoeness overshot in the fourth series,” he adds.

Antonín Panenka was able to stand out with his shot, while Marián Masný, Zdeněk Nehoda, Anton Ondruš and Ladislav Jurkemik did not hesitate. “A shot in the middle of the goal is a big risk, it’s enough if the goalkeeper jumps a little later,” Viktor points out, adding that Italian enforcers Bonucci and Bernadeschi were certainly a bit lucky in their choice.

While 45 years ago in Belgrade only Hoeness, who overshot, did not score, now the shooters have thwarted half of the ten attempts. “It’s mainly a strain on the nerves,” confirms Viktor. “I wouldn’t want to be in their shoes,” he admits.

“If he doesn’t score, it drags on to his deathbed, whereas the goalkeeper doesn’t have to and when he does, he’s a hero,” he reveals the different approach to the duel’s players.

However, he realises that today’s goalkeepers are a bit different. “Donnarumma is a giant, he’s almost two metres tall, at least ten centimetres taller than me and Sepp Maier were,” he also recalls the German’s stature.

“When he spreads his arms, there’s nowhere to send the ball. Nobody wants a little guy in goal nowadays,” says the Italian European champion, who took two penalty kicks. England’s Jordan Pickford, however, has a similar height to the 1976 European Championship finalists. “You could see it too,” Victor points out.

Victor too was named the best player of the tournament, as was the now Italian Donnarumma. However, he did not shine in the penalty shootout and the hero for Czechoslovak fans was rightly Antonín Panenka and his falling leaf.

This year at Wembley, however, it was the Italian goalkeeper who took the laurels and the fans’ favour. He caught two shots, one of which hit the bar. “He can rank among the greats like Zoff or Buffon,” Viktor predicts more great years to come for the 22-year-old Italian goalkeeper.

Source: UEFA