EURO 2020 finally got underway – after the matchball was bizarrely delivered onto the pitch by a remote control car.
After a 12 month delay, the European Championship kicked off tonight as Turkey took on Italy.
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After a stunning opening ceremony, the whole of Europe was desperate to see the tournament kick off after a year’s delay they were then forced to wait as the mini motor made its way to the centre circle.
And Twitter soon went into meltdown just seconds before the match action got started.
The respective captains had taken part in the coin toss with the referee in the centre circle they were forced to wait for the matchball to be delivered.
And it was brought onto the field in quite the unique fashion – via remote control car made by tournament sponsors VW.
As expected, the moment was not missed by those watching from home, and viewers instantly took to Twitter to react in disbelief at what they had just seen – although not everybody hated it.
One person wrote: “They had the footy in a little remote control car hahaha modern football is good now.”
Another tweeted: “WTF was the story with the remote control car taking the ball to the kick off?”
As a fellow viewer commented: “Some poor ceremonies volunteers entire job was to drive that remote control car to the centre circle and back.”
And another wrote: “I like that UEFA has tried to unite the warring factions of football and racism around the consensus that the remote control car to deliver the ball is really stupid.”
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Meanwhile, some English supporters are desperate to see it become the norm in the Premier League.
One said: “Can the remote control car continue in the Premier League next season? Superb idea.”
Ahead of the hugely-anticipated curtain-raiser between Turkey and Italy, opera tenor Andrea Bocelli took centre stage on the field in Rome.
Bocelli, who became blind at the age of 12, produced a magical rendition of the famous Nessun Dorma.
Majestic dancers accompanied the music while fireworks ignited on top of the stadium as the song reached its crescendo.
Those lucky enough to be inside the stadium and undoubtedly viewers watching at home sat in silence listening to Bocelli’s voice ring around the Stadio Olimpico.
For others, it was a throwback to Italia 90 when the late great Luciano Pavarotti belted out the anthem at the World Cup trophy presentation.
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
