Italy national football team facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Italy

Nickname(s)	Gli Azzurri (The Blues)
Association	Italian Football Federation (Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio, FIGC)
Confederation	UEFA (Europe)
Head coach	Luciano Spalletti
Captain	Gianluigi Donnarumma
Most caps	Gianluigi Buffon (176)
Top scorer	Gigi Riva (35)
Home stadium	Various
FIFA code	ITA
First colours Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current	18 (7 February 2019)
Highest	1 (November 1993, February 2007, April–June 2007, September 2007)
Lowest	21 (June 2018)
First international
Italy 6–2 France  (Milan, Italy; 15 May 1910)
Biggest win
Italy 9–0 United States  (Brentford, England; 2 August 1948)
Biggest defeat
Hungary 7–1 Italy  (Budapest, Hungary; 6 April 1924)
World Cup
Appearances	18 (first in 1934)
Best result	Champions (1934, 1938, 1982, 2006)
European Championship
Appearances	11 (first in 1968)
Best result	Champions (1968, 2020)
Nations League Finals
Appearances	2 (first in 2021)
Best result	Third place (2021, 2023)
CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions
Appearances	1 (first in 2022)
Best result	Runners-up (2022)
Confederations Cup
Appearances	2 (first in 2009)
Best result	Third place (2013)
Medal record Olympic Games Gold 1936 Berlin Team Bronze 1928 Amsterdam Team FIFA World Cup Gold 1934 Italy Team Gold 1938 France Team Gold 1982 Spain Team Gold 2006 Germany Team Silver 1970 Mexico Team Silver 1994 United States Team Bronze 1990 Italy Team UEFA European Championship Gold 1968 Italy 2020 Europe Gold 2020 Europe Team Silver 2000 Netherlands & Belgium Team Silver 2012 Poland & Ukraine Team CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions Silver 2022 England Team UEFA Nations League Bronze 2021 Italy Team Bronze 2023 Netherlands Team FIFA Confederations Cup Bronze 2013 Brazil Team

The Italy national football team represents Italy in men's international football games. They've been playing since their first match in 1910. The team is managed by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), which is also a founding member of UEFA. Italy plays its home games in different stadiums across the country. Their main training center is in Florence.

Italy is one of the most successful football teams in history. They have won the World Cup four times: in 1934, 1938, 1982, and 2006. They also reached the final two other times, in 1970 and 1994.

The team has also won the European Championship twice, in 1968 and 2020. They were runners-up in the CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions in 2022. They also finished third in the FIFA Confederations Cup in 2013 and the UEFA Nations League in 2021 and 2023.

The team is nicknamed gli Azzurri (the Blues). This is because Savoy blue is the traditional color for Italian national sports teams. It comes from the royal House of Savoy, which used to rule the Kingdom of Italy. In 1938, Italy was the first team to win two World Cups in a row. They held the title for 12 more years because of World War II.

Italy has big rivalries with other football nations like Brazil, France, Germany, and Spain. They have been ranked number one in the FIFA World Rankings several times.

History of the Italian Team

Early Days and First World Cup Wins (1934 & 1938)

The first official match for Italy was on May 15, 1910, in Milan. Italy beat France 6–2. Pietro Lana scored Italy's first goal ever. The team's first captain was Francesco Calì.

Italy won a bronze medal at the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam. They also won two Central European International Cups in 1927–30 and 1933–35. In 1936, Italy won the gold medal at the Olympic football tournament.

Italy didn't play in the first World Cup in 1930. But they won the next two World Cups in a row! They won in 1934 and 1938. This was under coach Vittorio Pozzo and with star player Giuseppe Meazza.

In 1934, Italy hosted the World Cup. They won their first World Cup match 7–1 against the United States. In the final, Italy beat Czechoslovakia 2–1 in extra time. They won their second title in 1938 by beating Hungary 4–2.

Rebuilding the Team (1950s & 1960s)

In 1949, many top Italian players died in a plane crash. This greatly weakened the team. Italy didn't do well in the 1950 World Cup. They even failed to qualify for the 1958 World Cup.

Italy also didn't play in the first European Championship in 1960. In the 1966 World Cup, Italy was a favorite to win. But they were surprisingly knocked out by North Korea with a 1–0 loss. Fans were very upset when the team returned home.

European Champions and World Cup Runners-up (1968–1974)

In 1968, Italy hosted and won the European Championship. This was their first big win since the 1938 World Cup. They beat Yugoslavia in the final. The first game was a draw, so they had to replay it. Italy won the replay 2–0.

In the 1970 World Cup, Italy reached the final after 32 years. They played one of the most famous matches ever, the "Game of the Century". Italy beat West Germany 4–3 in extra time. However, they lost the final 4–1 to Brazil.

Winning the Third World Cup (1978–1986)

A new group of players emerged in the late 1970s. At the 1978 World Cup, Italy was the only team to beat Argentina, who won the tournament. Italy finished fourth.

Italy hosted the 1980 European Championship. They finished fourth after losing to Czechoslovakia on penalties.

In the 1982 World Cup, Italy started slowly with three draws. But they improved greatly in the second round. They beat Argentina 2–1 and then Brazil in a thrilling 3–2 game. Paolo Rossi scored all three goals against Brazil.

In the final, Italy faced West Germany. The game was 0–0 at halftime. In the second half, Paolo Rossi scored first. Then Marco Tardelli and Alessandro Altobelli scored two more goals. Italy won 3–1, claiming their third World Cup title! Paolo Rossi won the Golden Boot for most goals and the Golden Ball for best player. Captain Dino Zoff, at 40, became the oldest player to win the World Cup.

After this success, Italy didn't qualify for the 1984 European Championship. They were knocked out in the Round of 16 at the 1986 World Cup.

New Coaches and World Cup Runners-up (1986–1994)

Azeglio Vicini became the new coach in 1986. He brought in young players like Gianluca Vialli. Italy reached the semi-finals of the 1988 European Championship.

Italy hosted the World Cup again in 1990. The team had talented forwards like Salvatore Schillaci and Roberto Baggio. Italy didn't let in any goals in their first five matches. But they lost the semi-final to Argentina on penalties. Italy then beat England 2–1 to finish third. Schillaci was the top scorer with six goals.

After not qualifying for the 1992 European Championship, Arrigo Sacchi became coach. Italy was ranked first in the world for the first time in November 1993.

At the 1994 World Cup in the United States, Italy had a tough start. But Roberto Baggio led them through the knockout stages. He scored crucial late goals against Nigeria, Spain, and Bulgaria. In the final, Italy played Brazil. After 120 minutes, the score was still 0–0. The game went to a penalty shootout. Italy lost 3–2 when Baggio missed the final penalty.

Euro 2000 Runners-up (1996–2000)

Italy played in Euro 1996 but didn't get past the group stage. They qualified for the 1998 World Cup after a play-off win against Russia. In the World Cup, they reached the quarter-finals. They lost to host nation France on penalties after a 0–0 draw. Roberto Baggio is the only Italian player to score in three different World Cups.

Two years later, at Euro 2000, Italy reached the final. They beat the Netherlands on penalties in the semi-finals. Goalkeeper Francesco Toldo saved many shots. Italy lost the final 2–1 to France after a "golden goal" in extra time.

Trapattoni's Time (2000–2004)

Giovanni Trapattoni became coach in 2000. Italy qualified for the 2002 World Cup without losing a game. In the tournament, Italy had some controversial matches. They lost 2–1 to Croatia after two Italian goals were wrongly disallowed.

In the Round of 16, co-host South Korea eliminated Italy 2–1. This match was very controversial. Many Italian players and the coach felt the referee's decisions were unfair. FIFA president Sepp Blatter admitted there were bad calls but denied any conspiracy.

Trapattoni also led the team at Euro 2004. Italy was eliminated in the group stage due to a tie-breaker rule.

Winning the 2006 World Cup

Marcello Lippi became the new coach. Italy entered the 2006 World Cup as one of the top teams. They finished first in their group. In the knockout rounds, Italy beat Australia 1–0 and Ukraine 3–0. In the semi-finals, they beat hosts Germany 2–0 in extra time.

On July 9, 2006, Italy won their fourth World Cup title! They beat France in the final. The game ended 1–1 after extra time. French captain Zinedine Zidane was sent off for a headbutt. Italy won the penalty shootout 5–3. All Italian players scored their penalties. Fabio Grosso scored the winning kick.

Seven Italian players were named to the tournament's All-Star Team. Goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon won the best goalkeeper award. He only let in two goals in seven matches.

Recent Years (2010–Present)

After the 2006 World Cup, Marcello Lippi left, and Roberto Donadoni took over. Italy qualified for Euro 2008. They lost to the Netherlands but beat France. They were knocked out by Spain on penalties in the quarter-finals. Lippi returned as coach.

Italy played in their first FIFA Confederations Cup in 2009. They were eliminated in the group stage. At the 2010 World Cup, Italy was surprisingly knocked out in the first round. They didn't win a single game. This was the first time Italy failed to win a game at a World Cup.

Cesare Prandelli became coach after the 2010 World Cup. At UEFA Euro 2012, Italy reached the final. They beat England on penalties and Germany in the semi-finals. But they lost the final 4–0 to Spain.

Italy finished third in the 2013 Confederations Cup. At the 2014 FIFA World Cup, Italy was eliminated in the group stage. They lost to Costa Rica and Uruguay.

Antonio Conte became coach in 2014. Italy qualified for Euro 2016. They beat reigning European champions Spain 2–0 in the Round of 16. However, they lost to reigning world champions Germany on penalties in the quarter-finals.

Missing World Cups (2018 & 2022)

After Euro 2016, Gian Piero Ventura became manager. Italy failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup. This was the first time since 1958. Many veteran players retired after this.

Roberto Mancini became the new manager in 2018. In August 2018, Italy dropped to their lowest-ever ranking of 21st in the world. However, they had a great run in Euro 2020 qualifying, winning all ten matches.

At the delayed Euro 2020, Italy played very well. They won all their group games without letting in any goals. They beat Austria and Belgium in the knockout rounds. Then they beat Spain on penalties in the semi-finals.

In the final on July 11, 2021, Italy won the European Championship! They beat hosts England at Wembley Stadium on penalties after a 1–1 draw. This was their second European title. Goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma was named the best player of the tournament.

In October 2021, Italy lost to Spain in the UEFA Nations League Finals. This ended their amazing 37-game unbeaten run, a world record! Four days later, they won the third-place play-off against Belgium.

However, Italy failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup. They lost to North Macedonia in the play-offs. This was the second World Cup in a row they missed. In June 2022, Italy lost 3–0 to Argentina in the 2022 Finalissima.

In 2023, Italy finished third in the UEFA Nations League Finals. Coach Mancini resigned shortly after.

Spalletti's Era (2023–Present)

Luciano Spalletti became the new coach in 2023. He led the team to qualify directly for the European Championship. Italy was eliminated from Euro 2024 in the Round of 16 after losing to Switzerland.

Team Rivalries

• Italy vs. Brazil: These matches are called the World Derby. Both teams have won many World Cups. They played in the 1970 and 1994 World Cup finals, with Brazil winning both.
• Italy vs. France: Their rivalry started in Italy's first match in 1910. Key matches include the 2006 World Cup Final, which Italy won on penalties, and the 2000 European Championship, which France won with a "golden goal".
• Italy vs. Germany: They have played five times in the World Cup. The "Game of the Century" in 1970 was a famous semi-final that Italy won 4–3 in extra time. Germany had never beaten Italy in a major tournament until Euro 2016.
• Italy vs. Spain: This rivalry is known as the Mediterranean Derby. It has grown stronger since Euro 2008. The most famous match was the UEFA Euro 2012 final, which Spain won 4–0.

Team Look: Kits and Crest

When Italy first played in 1910, their shirts were white. They didn't have a color chosen yet. After two games, in 1911, they switched to a blue jersey. This blue color (called Savoy blue) came from the royal House of Savoy. The uniform also included white shorts and black (later blue) socks. This is how they got their nickname, gli Azzurri (the Blues).

In the 1930s, Italy sometimes wore a black kit. This was ordered by the government at the time. After World War II, the black kit was removed. The blue and white kit returned. The old royal symbol was taken off the team's badge. Now, the badge only has the Italian flag colors.

After Italy won the 1982 World Cup, three gold stars were added to the badge. Each star represents a World Cup win. After their 2006 World Cup victory, a fourth star was added.

For many years, Puma made Italy's kits. But starting in 2023, Adidas became their new kit maker.

Coaching Staff

In the early days, a group of people called a "Technical Commission" managed the Italian team. Since 1967, one coach has been in charge. This coach is still called the Technical Commissioner (commissario tecnico).

Position	Staff
Head coach	Luciano Spalletti
Assistant coach	Marco Domenichini
Assistants	Daniele Baldini Salvatore Russo
Goalkeeping coach	Marco Savorani
Athletic trainers	Francesco Sinatti Franco Ferrini
Match analysts	Marco Mannucci Renato Baldi
Doctors	Angelo De Carli Carmine Costabile
Nutritionist	Matteo Pincella
Physiotherapists	Mauro Doimi Fabio Sannino Emanuele Randelli Fabrizio Scalzi
Osteopath	Walter Martinelli
Head of delegation	Gianluigi Buffon
Secretary	Emiliano Cozzi

Results and Upcoming Games

Here are some of Italy's recent match results and future games.

      Win       Draw       Loss       Fixture

• March 21, 2024: Italy beat Venezuela 2–1 in a friendly.
• March 24, 2024: Italy beat Ecuador 2–0 in a friendly.
• June 4, 2024: Italy drew 0–0 with Turkey in a friendly.
• June 9, 2024: Italy beat Bosnia and Herzegovina 1–0 in a friendly.
• June 15, 2024: Italy beat Albania 2–1 in the UEFA Euro 2024 group stage.
• June 20, 2024: Italy lost 1–0 to Spain in the UEFA Euro 2024 group stage.
• June 24, 2024: Italy drew 1–1 with Croatia in the UEFA Euro 2024 group stage.
• June 29, 2024: Italy lost 2–0 to Switzerland in the UEFA Euro 2024 Round of 16.
• September 6, 2024: Italy beat France 3–1 in the UEFA Nations League.
• September 9, 2024: Italy beat Israel 2–1 in the UEFA Nations League.
• October 10, 2024: Italy drew 2–2 with Belgium in the UEFA Nations League.
• October 14, 2024: Italy beat Israel 4–1 in the UEFA Nations League.
• November 14, 2024: Italy beat Belgium 1–0 in the UEFA Nations League.
• November 17, 2024: Italy lost 3–1 to France in the UEFA Nations League.

Upcoming matches in 2025 include UEFA Nations League Quarter-finals against Germany on March 20 and March 23.

Players

Current Squad

These players were called up for recent UEFA Nations League matches in November 2024.

Information is correct as of November 17, 2024.

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
1	1GK	Gianluigi Donnarumma (captain)	(1999-02-25) 25 February 1999 (age 26)	70	0	Paris Saint-Germain
12	1GK	Alex Meret	(1997-03-22) 22 March 1997 (age 28)	3	0	Napoli
13	1GK	Guglielmo Vicario	(1996-10-07) 7 October 1996 (age 28)	4	0	Tottenham Hotspur
2	2DF	Nicolò Savona	(2003-03-19) 19 March 2003 (age 22)	0	0	Juventus
3	2DF	Federico Dimarco	(1997-11-10) 10 November 1997 (age 27)	28	3	Inter Milan
4	2DF	Alessandro Buongiorno	(1999-06-06) 6 June 1999 (age 26)	9	0	Napoli
6	2DF	Federico Gatti	(1998-06-24) 24 June 1998 (age 26)	5	0	Juventus
15	2DF	Caleb Okoli	(2001-07-13) 13 July 2001 (age 23)	0	0	Leicester City
17	2DF	Pietro Comuzzo	(2005-02-20) 20 February 2005 (age 20)	0	0	Fiorentina
19	2DF	Destiny Udogie	(2002-11-28) 28 November 2002 (age 22)	9	0	Tottenham Hotspur
20	2DF	Andrea Cambiaso	(2000-02-20) 20 February 2000 (age 25)	13	2	Juventus
21	2DF	Alessandro Bastoni	(1999-04-13) 13 April 1999 (age 26)	33	2	Inter Milan
22	2DF	Giovanni Di Lorenzo	(1993-08-04) 4 August 1993 (age 31)	44	5	Napoli
5	3MF	Manuel Locatelli	(1998-01-08) 8 January 1998 (age 27)	30	3	Juventus
8	3MF	Sandro Tonali	(2000-05-08) 8 May 2000 (age 25)	21	1	Newcastle United
14	3MF	Nicolò Rovella	(2001-12-04) 4 December 2001 (age 23)	2	0	Lazio
16	3MF	Davide Frattesi	(1999-09-22) 22 September 1999 (age 25)	25	8	Inter Milan
18	3MF	Nicolò Barella	(1997-02-07) 7 February 1997 (age 28)	59	10	Inter Milan
23	3MF	Niccolò Pisilli	(2004-09-23) 23 September 2004 (age 20)	1	0	Roma
7	4FW	Daniel Maldini	(2001-10-11) 11 October 2001 (age 23)	2	0	Monza
9	4FW	Mateo Retegui	(1999-04-29) 29 April 1999 (age 26)	18	6	Atalanta
10	4FW	Giacomo Raspadori	(2000-02-18) 18 February 2000 (age 25)	36	7	Napoli
11	4FW	Moise Kean	(2000-02-28) 28 February 2000 (age 25)	19	5	Fiorentina

Recent Call-ups

These players have also been called up for the team in the last year.

Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club	Latest call-up
GK	Michele Di Gregorio	(1997-07-27) 27 July 1997 (age 27)	0	0	Juventus	v.  Israel, 14 October 2024
GK	Ivan Provedel	(1994-03-17) 17 March 1994 (age 31)	0	0	Lazio	UEFA Euro 2024 PRE
GK	Marco Carnesecchi	(2000-07-01) 1 July 2000 (age 24)	0	0	Atalanta	v.  Ecuador, 24 March 2024
DF	Riccardo Calafiori	(2002-05-19) 19 May 2002 (age 23)	8	0	Arsenal	v.  Israel, 14 October 2024
DF	Raoul Bellanova	(2000-05-17) 17 May 2000 (age 25)	4	0	Atalanta	v.  Israel, 14 October 2024
DF	Matteo Gabbia	(1999-10-21) 21 October 1999 (age 25)	0	0	Milan	v.  Israel, 14 October 2024
DF	Matteo Darmian	(1989-12-02) 2 December 1989 (age 35)	46	2	Inter Milan	UEFA Euro 2024
DF	Gianluca Mancini	(1996-04-17) 17 April 1996 (age 29)	14	0	Roma	UEFA Euro 2024
DF	Francesco Acerbi	(1988-02-10) 10 February 1988 (age 37)	34	1	Inter Milan	UEFA Euro 2024 PRE / INJ
DF	Giorgio Scalvini	(2003-12-11) 11 December 2003 (age 21)	8	0	Atalanta	UEFA Euro 2024 PRE / INJ
MF	Samuele Ricci	(2001-08-21) 21 August 2001 (age 23)	6	0	Torino	v.  Belgium, 14 November 2024 INJ
MF	Nicolò Fagioli	(2001-02-12) 12 February 2001 (age 24)	7	0	Juventus	v.  Israel, 14 October 2024
MF	Lorenzo Pellegrini	(1996-06-19) 19 June 1996 (age 29)	36	6	Roma	v.  Belgium, 10 October 2024 SUS
MF	Marco Brescianini	(2000-01-20) 20 January 2000 (age 25)	2	0	Atalanta	v.  Israel, 9 September 2024
MF	Jorginho	(1991-12-20) 20 December 1991 (age 33)	57	5	Arsenal	UEFA Euro 2024
MF	Bryan Cristante	(1995-03-03) 3 March 1995 (age 30)	43	2	Roma	UEFA Euro 2024
MF	Michael Folorunsho	(1998-02-07) 7 February 1998 (age 27)	2	0	Napoli	UEFA Euro 2024
MF	Giacomo Bonaventura	(1989-08-22) 22 August 1989 (age 35)	18	1	Al-Shabab	v.  Ecuador, 24 March 2024
FW	Nicolò Zaniolo	(1999-07-02) 2 July 1999 (age 25)	19	2	Atalanta	v.  Israel, 14 October 2024
FW	Lorenzo Lucca	(2000-09-10) 10 September 2000 (age 24)	1	0	Udinese	v.  Israel, 14 October 2024
FW	Mattia Zaccagni	(1995-06-16) 16 June 1995 (age 30)	9	1	Lazio	v.  Israel, 9 September 2024
FW	Federico Chiesa	(1997-10-25) 25 October 1997 (age 27)	51	7	Liverpool	UEFA Euro 2024
FW	Stephan El Shaarawy	(1992-10-27) 27 October 1992 (age 32)	32	7	Roma	UEFA Euro 2024
FW	Gianluca Scamacca	(1999-01-01) 1 January 1999 (age 26)	20	1	Atalanta	UEFA Euro 2024
FW	Riccardo Orsolini	(1997-01-24) 24 January 1997 (age 28)	7	2	Bologna	UEFA Euro 2024 PRE
INJ Withdrew due to injury PRE Preliminary squad SUS Suspended

Previous Squads

Individual Player Records

Most Appearances

Rank	Player	Caps	Goals	Period
1	Gianluigi Buffon	176	0	1997–2018
2	Fabio Cannavaro	136	2	1997–2010
3	Paolo Maldini	126	7	1988–2002
4	Leonardo Bonucci	121	8	2010–2023
5	Giorgio Chiellini	117	8	2004–2022
	Daniele De Rossi	117	21	2004–2017
7	Andrea Pirlo	116	13	2002–2015
8	Dino Zoff	112	0	1968–1983
9	Gianluca Zambrotta	100	2	1999–2010
10	Giacinto Facchetti	94	3	1963–1977

Top Goalscorers

Rank	Player	Goals	Caps	Ratio	Period
1	Luigi Riva (list)	35	42	0.83	1965–1974
2	Giuseppe Meazza	33	53	0.62	1930–1939
3	Silvio Piola	30	34	0.88	1935–1952
4	Roberto Baggio	27	56	0.48	1988–2004
	Alessandro Del Piero		91	0.3	1995–2008
6	Adolfo Baloncieri	25	47	0.53	1920–1930
	Filippo Inzaghi		57	0.44	1997–2007
	Alessandro Altobelli		61	0.41	1980–1988
9	Christian Vieri	23	49	0.47	1997–2005
	Francesco Graziani		64	0.36	1975–1983

Team Captains

Here is a list of players who have been captain of the Italian team over the years.

Hat-tricks

A hat-trick is when a player scores three goals in one game.

Team Records

• Largest victory: 9–0 vs. United States, August 2, 1948.
• Largest defeat: 1–7 vs. Hungary, April 6, 1924.
• Longest winning streak: 13 wins.
• Longest unbeaten run: 37 consecutive official matches, a world record.

Competitive Tournament Records

     Champions       Runners-up       Third place     Hosts

FIFA World Cup

FIFA World Cup record										Qualification record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA		Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
1930	Did not enter									Did not enter
1934	Champions	1st	5	4	1	0	12	3		1	1	0	0	4	0
1938	Champions		4	4	0	0	11	5		Qualified as defending champions
1950	Group stage	7th	2	1	0	1	4	3		Qualified as defending champions
1954		10th	3	1	0	2	6	7		2	2	0	0	7	2
1958	Did not qualify									4	2	0	2	5	5
1962	Group stage	9th	3	1	1	1	3	2		2	2	0	0	10	2
1966		9th	3	1	0	2	2	2		6	4	1	1	17	3
1970	Runners-up	2nd	6	3	2	1	10	8		4	3	1	0	10	3
1974	Group stage	10th	3	1	1	1	5	4		6	4	2	0	12	0
1978	Fourth place	4th	7	4	1	2	9	6		6	5	0	1	18	4
1982	Champions	1st	7	4	3	0	12	6		8	5	2	1	12	5
1986	Round of 16	12th	4	1	2	1	5	6		Qualified as defending champions
1990	Third place	3rd	7	6	1	0	10	2		Qualified as hosts
1994	Runners-up	2nd	7	4	2	1	8	5		10	7	2	1	22	7
1998	Quarter-finals	5th	5	3	2	0	8	3		10	6	4	0	13	2
2002	Round of 16	15th	4	1	1	2	5	5		8	6	2	0	16	3
2006	Champions	1st	7	5	2	0	12	2		10	7	2	1	17	8
2010	Group stage	26th	3	0	2	1	4	5		10	7	3	0	18	7
2014		22nd	3	1	0	2	2	3		10	6	4	0	19	9
2018	Did not qualify									12	7	3	2	21	9
2022										9	4	4	1	13	3
2026	To be determined									To be determined
2030
2034
Total	4 titles	18/22	83	45	21	17	128	77		118	78	30	10	234	72

*Draws include knockout matches decided by penalty shoot-out.

UEFA European Championship

UEFA European Championship record										Qualification record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA		Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
1960	Did not enter									Did not enter
1964	Did not qualify									4	2	1	1	8	3
1968	Champions	1st	3	1	2	0	3	1		8	6	1	1	21	6
1972	Did not qualify									8	4	3	1	13	6
1976										6	2	3	1	3	3
1980	Fourth place	4th	4	1	3	0	2	1		Qualified as hosts
1984	Did not qualify									8	1	3	4	6	12
1988	Semi-finals	3rd	4	2	1	1	4	3		8	6	1	1	16	4
1992	Did not qualify									8	3	4	1	12	5
1996	Group stage	10th	3	1	1	1	3	3		10	7	2	1	20	6
2000	Runners-up	2nd	6	4	1	1	9	4		8	4	3	1	13	5
2004	Group stage	9th	3	1	2	0	3	2		8	5	2	1	17	4
2008	Quarter-finals	8th	4	1	2	1	3	4		12	9	2	1	22	9
2012	Runners-up	2nd	6	2	3	1	6	7		10	8	2	0	20	2
2016	Quarter-finals	5th	5	3	1	1	6	2		10	7	3	0	16	7
2020	Champions	1st	7	5	2	0	13	4		10	10	0	0	37	4
2024	Round of 16	14th	4	1	1	2	3	5		8	4	2	2	16	9
2028	To be determined									To be determined
2032	Qualified as co-hosts									Qualified as co-hosts
Total	2 titles	11/17	49	22	19	8	55	36		126	78	32	16	240	85

*Draws include knockout matches decided by penalty shoot-out.

UEFA Nations League

UEFA Nations League record
League phase													Finals
Season	LG	Grp	Pos	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	P/R	RK		Year	Pos	Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA	Squad
2018–19	A	3	2nd	4	1	2	1	2	2		8th		2019	Did not qualify
2020–21	A	1	1st	6	3	3	0	7	2		3rd		2021	3rd	2	1	0	1	3	3	Squad
2022–23	A	3	1st	6	3	2	1	8	7		4th		2023	3rd	2	1	0	1	4	4	Squad
2024–25	A	2	2nd	6	4	1	1	13	8		5th		2025	To be determined
Total				22	11	8	3	30	19	6th			Total		4	2	0	2	7	7	—

*Draws include knockout matches decided by penalty shoot-out.

FIFA Confederations Cup

FIFA Confederations Cup record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA
1992	No European team participated
1995	Did not qualify
1997
1999
2001
2003	Did not enter
2005	Did not qualify
2009	Group stage	5th	3	1	0	2	3	5
2013	Third place	3rd	5	2	2	1	10	10
2017	Did not qualify
Total	Third place	2/10	8	3	2	3	13	15

*Draws include knockout matches decided by penalty shoot-out.

Head-to-Head Record

As of November 17, 2024, Italy has played 885 official matches. They have won 472 games, drawn 240, and lost 173. They have scored 1,545 goals and let in 872 goals. Italy's biggest win was 9–0 against the United States in 1948. Their longest winning streak is 13 wins, and they hold a world record for being unbeaten in 37 games in a row.

Honours and Awards

Major Competitions

• FIFA World Cup
  • Champions (4): 1934, 1938, 1982, 2006
  • Runners-up (2): 1970, 1994
  • Third place (1): 1990
• UEFA European Championship
  • Champions (2): 1968, 2020
  • Runners-up (2): 2000, 2012
• UEFA Nations League
  • Third place (2): 2020–21, 2022–23
• FIFA Confederations Cup
  • Third place (1): 2013
• CONMEBOL-UEFA Cup of Champions
  • Runners-up (1): 2022
• Olympic Games
  • Gold medal (1): 1936
  • Bronze medal (1): 1928

Regional Competitions

• Central European International Cup
  • Champions (2): 1927–30, 1933–35
  • Runners-up (1): 1931–32

Special Awards

• Laureus World Team of the Year
  • Winners (2): 2007, 2022

Summary of Major Honours

Competition				Total
FIFA World Cup	4	2	1	7
FIFA Confederations Cup	0	0	1	1
Olympic Games	1	0	1	2
UEFA European Championship	2	2	0	4
UEFA Nations League	0	0	2	2
CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions	0	1	0	1
Total	7	5	5	17

Images for kids

• 

  The Italy national team in 1965.

See also

In Spanish: Selección de fútbol de Italia para niños

• Italy women's national football team
• Italy national under-21 football team
• Italy national under-20 football team
• Italy national under-19 football team
• Italy national under-17 football team
• Italy national beach soccer team
• Italy national futsal team
• Serie A
• Football in Italy
• Sport in Italy