DANIELE DE ROSSI stunned Sweden players by apologising on their team bus for Italy fans booing their visitors’ national anthem.
The Roma legend amazed Azzurri fans during the game by snubbing a request to come on as a substitute.
Holding midfielder De Rossi was asked to come on in the final ten minutes, but echoed the sentiments of home fans by encouraging coaches to bring on in-form Lorenzo Insigne.
The game began in a hostile atmosphere with thousands of Italy fans drowning out the Swedish anthem with a chorus of boos.
Celtic full-back Mikael Lustig was caught on TV calling the home supporters “f***ing c***s.”
A 0-0 draw meant Italy missed out on their first World Cup finals in 60 years, ironically a tournament held in Sweden.
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De Rossi called time on his Azzurri career, after what national team officials had dubbed the ‘Apocalypse’.
But the agony did not stop De Rossi making a B-line for Sweden’s players as they celebrated booking their place at Russia 2018.
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Leeds defender Pontus Jansson revealed: “He apologised for how some of the players behaved during the match in Stockholm and because some fans booed our national anthem during the return.
“The whole atmosphere of the bus was like: ‘Wow, did this happen?’
“It was one of the finest moments in a long time, actually. What a damn gentleman. A really nice person and a true team captain.'”
Sweden boss Janne Andersson added: “This is sport when it’s the best. You take the field with each other and on the plane it can be a lesser war, but afterwards you take care.
“I have great respect for the kind of behaviour that De Rossi showed.”
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