Overview
- President Sergio Mattarella hailed the men’s and women’s teams as “formidable” at the Quirinale, where players presented World Championship medals, signed jerseys and a ball.
- Mattarella noted a letter from injured captain Simone Giannelli and saluted absentees Roberto Russo, Yuri Romanò, Myriam Sylla and Alessia Orro, as fans outside celebrated with selfies and flags.
- Coaches Julio Velasco and Ferdinando De Giorgi emphasized team identity, with Velasco calling the women’s squad a model of diversity and De Giorgi revealing the pre-match motto “divertitevi, lottate e resistete.”
- A reduced delegation later met Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at Palazzo Chigi, where she thanked the teams for “extraordinary emotions” and received autographed shirts and a ball.
- The celebrations dovetailed with domestic promotion: the SuperLega season was unveiled in Trento, and officials confirmed the Italian Supercoppa will be staged in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, on November 7–8.