In the fan zone of the city of Kiev, in peacetime called Kreshtatik, on the day of the final of the Euro 2012 football wheeled on a wheelchair old Ukrainian in yellow-blue baseball. Three young, pumped Italians dressed in the same blue coats, apparently depicting an ancient Roman togu. They saw the fighting grandfather, approached him, shrugged his hand.

And he... he suddenly started shouting with passion the names of Italian football superstars of the 60s and 70s: “Riva!” The Maccola! The River!"

The Italians, what is called, broke. One of them fell to his knees before the old man, started kissing his hands, hugging him. Others joined him. Then they photographed him, instantly assessing the unrealistic connection of countries and times. The man who spent most of his life behind the Iron Curtain knew and loved Italy through its football and now he was happy. Even without knowing Italian, he was able to convey to the young compatriots of Riva, Mazzola and Rivera that love that has kept for many decades.