Twenty years without a success, then an unprecedented exploit. San Marino, long considered the weakest European national team, now rediscovers itself as a winner: it triumphed in Group 1 of League D of the Nations League, earning a historic – and unthinkable – promotion to League C for the next edition. And among the happy faces of the Titano is Nicola Nanni, a Torres forward and the only professional called up by coach Roberto Cevoli (a former defender with experience in Serie A and B) . He scored two key goals, both from the penalty spot, in the two final days of this break: on Friday in the 91st minute for the 1-1 draw against Gibraltar, on Monday in the 66th minute for the lead over Liechtenstein, in the 1-3 that made history for San Marino because it was worth the victory of the group.
"It's a joy we've never felt before, it will remain etched in my memory forever," Nanni told Rtv . "Perhaps it was one of the most beautiful days on a sporting level, for me personally but I think also for the federation. It's an acknowledgement that we want to share with the whole country, a journey that in my opinion started a long time ago: we must thank those who were there before us, who have always followed us."
Nanni arrived at Torres in the summer, after a previous experience in Sardinia in the last two seasons at Olbia, also in Serie C. So far with the rossoblù he has scored only once, on September 24 to open the 1-2 victory over Sestri Levante, while his previous goal for the national team dates back to 2021. And he was unable to play in Sunday's defeat against Virtus Entella precisely because he was in the national team . Now, however, together with his teammates, he has become a hero: yesterday almost 5,000 people for the party at the San Marino Stadium . A sensational feat, for a team that until September 5 (1-0 again against Liechtenstein) had not won in 141 games and had conceded 568 goals. And that on Monday won for the first time away from home, in a comeback, scoring at least three goals and with more than one goal difference.
