The is the national
Football team of
Italy and is controlled by the
Italian Football Federation (FIGC - Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio).
Italy is one of the most successful national teams, having won three
World Cups and one
European Championship . The traditional jersey colour of the national team (as well as of all Italian teams and athletes, but in motor sports) is sky blue (''azzurro'', in
Italian ), and therefore national team members are nicknamed ''Azzurri''.
The first match of the Italian national football team was held in edition, hosted by Italy, won beating
Czechoslovakia 2–1 in
Rome ;
1938 edition, hosted by France, won beating
Hungary 4–2 in
Paris .
After who killed
Goliath .
In because of more goals scored), an under-rated and press-bashed Italian team collected three impressive games against
Argentina (defeated 2–1), Brazil (3–2), and
Poland (2–0, semifinal), winning the title against West Germany (3–1); cup top scorer was
Paolo Rossi , with six goals scored in the last three matches.
In the last fifteen years, the ''Azzurri'' played an important role and though they had no major successes, their role on the world stage was somewhat remarkable.
Italy hosted the World Cup in
1990 . They were the favourites to win and were arguably the best team in the competition, but inexplicably lost the semi-final 4–3 on penalties to
Argentina after a 1–1 draw at the end of extra time; later, they defeated
England 2–1 in the third place play-off, thus conceding only two goals in the whole tournament.
In
1994 World Cup edition, Italy reached the final against Brazil, despite a poor start. They were inspired by pony-tailed midfielder Roberto Baggio, but were exhausted after an arduous campaign. They drew 0–0 at the end of
Extra Time , and lost the subsequent
Penalty Shooutout . Baggio missed the final penalty in a cruel irony. Also
1998 edition is marked by a penalty shootout, lost 4–3 in quarter-final against France.
The Italian participation to
2000 European Championship was followed with skeptisism, but ''Azzurri'' won an incredible semi-final against home team the
Netherlands — Italian goalkeeper
Francesco Toldo saved one penalty during the match and two during the shootout, Netherlands players missed one penalty during the match and one during the shootout – a success rate of one penalty scored on six tries — and lost the final 2–1 against France (
Golden Goal ), allowing ''les Bleus'' equalizing goal 30 seconds before the end of the match.
Italy failed in both
2002 World Cup and
2004 European Championship ; in both cases, controversial episodes shifted the focus away from the ''Azzurri'''s poor performance.
Italy also won the
Olympic Gold Medal in
1936 and two Bronze Medals, in
1928 and
2004 .
The
Italian Under-21 National Team is very successful, having won five out of the last seven
European Under-21 Football Championship s (
1990 –92,
1992 –94, 1994–96, 1998–2000 and
2002 –2004 editions).
- 1960 - ''Did not enter''
- 1964 - ''Did not qualify''
- 1968 -
- 1972 - ''Did not qualify''
- 1976 - ''Did not qualify''
- 1980 - Fourth place
- 1984 - ''Did not qualify''
- 1988 - Semifinals
- 1992 - ''Did not qualify''
- 1996 - Round 1
- 2000 - Runners-up
- 2004 - Round 1
- Vittorio Pozzo (1929-1948)
- Carlo Carcano (1928-1929)
- Augusto Rangone (1925-1928)
:
:
- Andrea Barzagli , Palermo
- Daniele Bonera , Parma
- Fabio Cannavaro (captain), Juventus
- Alessandro Gamberini , Fiorentina
- Fabio Grosso , Palermo
- Marco Materazzi ---, Inter
- Alessandro Nesta , A.C. Milan
- Massimo Oddo , Lazio
- Manuel Pasqual , Fiorentina
- Cristian Zaccardo , Palermo
- Gianluca Zambrotta , Juventus
:
- Simone Barone , Palermo
- Mauro Camoranesi , Juventus
- Daniele De Rossi ---, A.S. Roma
- Mauro Esposito , Cagliari
- Gennaro Ivan Gattuso , A.C. Milan
- Fabio Liverani , Lazio
- Marco Marchionni , Parma
- Simone Perrotta ---, A.S. Roma
- Andrea Pirlo , A.C. Milan
- Franco Semioli , Chievo Verona
- Francesco Totti ---, A.S. Roma
:
- will not take part at the stage due to the contemporary first round of Coppa Italia final, held between Inter and Roma .''
