In the early hours of 10 July 2006, thousands of Italian soccer fans descended on Norton Street in the inner-western Sydney suburb of Leichhardt to watch the World Cup Final between Italy and France. The final, held in Berlin, ended in a 1-1 draw at full time, with the score remaining the same after extra time. The game went to a penalty shoot out, which Italy eventually won 5-3.
After Italy’s victory, the crowd on Norton Street celebrated in true Italian style, singing, waving flags, lighting flares and jumping on cars. The cafés were open, gelato was being served on the street and tv cameras captured the jubilation. A group of men carried a faux coffin draped in the French flag through the jeering crowd.
The Australian Associated Press wrote of the scene, ‘An almighty roar marked the realisation of Italy's World Cup dream by up to 10,000 patriots who packed into their Sydney heartland to watch their team claim victory today. Red flares and fireworks lit up the icy Sydney morning above Norton Street at Leichhardt as friends embraced strangers in a crush of Italian jubilation. Standing outside the Martini Bar, atop a car sporting the red, white and green of the Italian flag, a group of 20 young Italian men screamed and hugged each other’ (The Sydney Morning Herald, 10 July 2006).
While recently going though my negative archive researching another body of work, I came across six rolls of film that I shot on Norton Street immediately after Italy won the game. As the 2022 World Cup was just starting, it seemed a pertinent time to have a look at the images made 16 years ago, which have until now, remained unseen. Along with a few friends and colleagues, I stayed on Norton Street until the sun rose, when the crowd finally grew exhausted and left the street.
Unfortunately for those depicted in these photographs, Italy failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Perhaps they can make a comeback in 2026, 20 years after their win against France. If Italy qualify for the 2026 World Cup - and happen make the final - you can bet that Norton Street will again be the place to be.
-Sean Davey (2022)
