Parties Go All Night As Toronto Celebrates Italy’s World Cup Win
Posted July 10, 2006 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
From the heart of Woodbridge, Ont. to the festival on St. Clair West, to the cafes of College Street, the celebrations that took place following Italy’s World Cup victory Sunday night were truly ones worth remembering.
And if you don’t believe it, one look at the mass of debris, flags and paraphernalia strewn about in each of those locations should be enough to change your mind.
Moments after Fabio Grosso’s penalty kick brought Italy their fourth World Cup win – the first in 24 years – tens of thousands exploded onto streets throughout the Greater Toronto Area to kick off festivities that went well into Monday morning, and for some, probably beyond that.
Even at the Rogers Centre where fans usually convene to take in baseball and a different brand of football, 35,000 strong made the scene to watch the big match on the stadium’s massive screen.
And with those kinds of numbers in attendance, you know when the show was over the action was only just beginning.
But at its core, the street soirees were about more than just Italy claiming the World Cup, even if they did do so in brilliantly dramatic fashion with a 5-3 win on penalty kicks.
Proof of greater meaning was seen in the inclusion of French fans, sad at their team’s loss, but happy to honour the end of a tremendous month-long event with a bash that was fitting.
“I’m very positive and I’m very proud of my team,” said one French fan amidst a mixed group at a downtown bar.
And so everyone celebrated together and according to Toronto Police, despite closing several blocks in a few key neighbourhoods and monitoring more than 100,000 people, nothing got terribly out of hand.
Even Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper got in on the act, taking time to give his blessing to festivities that would’ve gone on either way.
“On behalf of Canada’s new government, I would like to congratulate Italy on its World Cup victory, and wish Italian-Canadians the most joyous of celebrations,” he said.
It looks like the prime minister got his wish.
