Pelle wants to 'apologise to all Italians' for missed penalty
Even though he scored twice at Euro 2016 and was one of seven players to miss in the heart-attack-inducing penalty shootout between Italy and Germany, Graziano Pelle wasted no time issuing a heartfelt apology after the Azzurri's elimination from the tournament.
On Sunday, in conversation with ANSA, Pelle apologised for his train wreck of a penalty, harshly claiming that he arrived at Euro 2016 "as a nobody" and is leaving the competition "as a nobody."
When Pelle stepped up to take his penalty, Italy was up 2-1 in the shootout with both teams having two shots left, meaning the product of Lecce was in a position to put the Azzurri on the brink of reaching the semi-finals. However, after gesturing to Manuel Neuer that he intended on chipping the ball down the middle, the 30-year-old missed the target altogether in humiliating fashion.
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"Do my Euros remain positive?" Pelle said, as translated by ESPN FC. "I couldn't care less right now, I am just sad and want to apologise to all Italians. If I had scored that penalty, I'd have become a phenomenon, but instead ... I arrived here as a nobody and I leave as a nobody.
"I am sorry to everyone, but let nobody say I was trying to provoke Neuer. I don't even think he noticed. By making the 'chip' gesture I was merely trying to encourage him to stay in the centre of the goal. He was moving around a lot and I wanted him to stay still. At the end Neuer saluted me and said I was a great player."
If that wasn't enough, Pelle also apologised via Instagram, writing: "Despite a sad epilogue, I will always hold in my heart the memory of a fantastic group of 23 lions. From the first day of training to this we always helped each other out, in good and bad, so thank you lads.
Unfortunately this is football, full of pleasingly unforgettable moments and others to be forgotten, but it remains the most beautiful game in the world. I love football. Thanks also to an entire nation that supported us to the last breathe or tear of this tournament. Proud to be Italian."
Pelle's next shot at redemption will come on Sept. 1, when Italy takes on France in a friendly. Four days later, the Azzurri will kick off its 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign in Israel.