No one will be singing it on the stands in Russia, more’s the pity, but Italian footballers, fans and schoolchildren can rest assured that the next time they’re required to join in with the “Song of the Italians”, it’ll be official. It turns out the anthem Italians have been singing for the past 71 years – also known as “Mameli’s Hymn” after its lyricist, or “Brothers of Italy” after its opening line – was only provisional.

In October 1946, Italy’s post-war government picked it as the de facto anthem of the new Italian Republic, but they never wrote it into law. It was only on Wednesday, seven decades later, that the Italian senate’s committee for all things constitutional approved a provision stating once and for all that Il Canto degli Italiani is the national song of choice.