SYDNEY - With screams of joy and tears amid a forest of flags and banners, more than 30,000 Italian soccer fans celebrated World Cup victory with total abandon at venues across Australia today.
Packed into the nations bars, coffee shops and at huge outdoor screening sites, passionate Azzurri supporters braved an icy winter morning to watch their team snatch the trophy from France in a tense 5-3 penalty shoot-out when the teams were locked at 1-1 after extra time.
"It's a dream come true ... we showed the world what we're made of," yelled 21-year-old Simon Kay, from Greystanes, one of almost 10,000 who packed into Sydney's Italian heartland of Norton Street, in Leichhardt, to watch history in the making.
While red flares and fireworks lit up the sky, friends embraced strangers in an outpouring of pent-up emotion.
"It doesn't get any better than this," yelled Victor Arcuri atop a car painted in the red, white and green of the Italian flag.
Bellowing to the crowd below him, he invited everyone back to his Emu Plains pizza shop, telling them "let's all call in sick today".
As Fabio Grosso's decisive final spot kick slammed into the back of the net, more than 8,000 Melburnians at Lygon St in Carlton broke into an almighty roar.
"Italia, Italia," the masses screamed above the din of pounding dance music as Italy claimed its fourth World Cup in Berlin.
But Nick Fursi, an Azzurri supporter among many French friends, kept a diplomatic silence, saying, "I can't let my emotions show too much".
But there were plenty of others revelled in France's agonising loss.
In Sydney, the crowd parted on Norton Street as a group of exuberant young men carried a small timber coffin painted in the red, white and blue of the French tricolour.
Splashed across the front were the words: "Goodbye France 2006".
Asked what would have happened to the coffin if Italy had lost, one cocky pall bearer replied: "It was never going to happen, mate".
Nearby, police were forced to surround a car - painted in the Italian red, white and green - that had been flipped on its roof by crazed fans.
In Melbourne, Italian fans began gathering from about 2am (AEST), despite the winter chill, to watch the match on two huge screens in Lygon Street, Carlton.
Others crammed the many cafes and restaurants that opened early for the match.
Wrapped in the blue of the Azzurri and carrying the nation's red, white and green flag, the fans began chanting "Viva Italia" long before the game's 4am (AEST) kickoff in Berlin.
The tension was palpable as the score was locked 1-1 at full time and remained unchanged through 30 minutes of extra time.
But as Italy sank its fifth straight penalty to claim the ultimate prize, the crowd erupted with chants of "Italia, Italia".
Domenic Bruzzese, blasting an airhorn, was on the verge of tears.
"I had my scarf over my eyes half the time during the match - I just couldn't watch," he said.
"I'm not going to work today, nah, I'm getting drunk."
Meanwhile, in Adelaide, several hundred football fans marched through the early morning chill to parliament house.
Others took to their cars - horns blaring and cheering loudly - to cause traffic problems for early morning commuters.
Prime Minister John Howard joined the masses congratulating Italy, saying its World Cup win was also a reminder of how well the Socceroos had performed.
"I congratulate Italy," he said.
"I'm sure there'll be a lot of Australians of Italian descent - now that Australia's out of it - their second choice would have been Italy and I'm sure they're very happy."
Police would agree, having arrested at least seven overzealous Sydney supporters for setting off flares and entering restricted areas.
In Melbourne, there were just two arrests - one for drunkenness and the other for lighting a flare.
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