Italy national football team
Four-time World Cup winners and two-time European champions.
The Italy national football team, known as *gli Azzurri* after the Savoy blue of the House of Savoy, is one of the most successful sides in international football. Controlled by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), a founding member of UEFA, the team first played in 1910, defeating France 6–2 in Milan. Italy has won the FIFA World Cup four times (1934, 1938, 1982, 2006), becoming the first nation to successfully defend the title, and finished as runners-up in 1970 and 1994. The team has also won the UEFA European Championship twice (1968, 2020) and reached the final in 2000 and 2012, in addition to an Olympic gold medal in 1936. Italy reached the top of the FIFA World Rankings in 1993 and 2007, and between 2018 and 2021 set a record 37-match unbeaten run in competitive men’s internationals. The team’s early success came under coach Vittorio Pozzo, with stars like Giuseppe Meazza, winning back-to-back World Cups in 1934 (hosted in Italy) and 1938. After a 1949 plane crash killed ten of the starting eleven, Italy struggled in the 1950s and 1960s, failing to advance past the first round in several tournaments and suffering a shock 1966 defeat to North Korea. The team rebounded to win the 1968 European Championship on home soil, beating Yugoslavia in a replayed final. Italy has long-standing rivalries with Brazil, France, Germany, and Spain. However, the team failed to qualify for the 2018, 2022, and 2026 World Cups, marking its longest absence from the competition. Home matches are played at various stadiums across Italy, with the training center in Florence.
- First goal scorer
- Pietro Lana
Lore & Background
The Italy national team, known as *Azzurri* for the Savoy blue of the House of Savoy, is one of the most decorated sides in international football. Its defining characteristic is a historic record of four FIFA World Cup titles, won in 1934, 1938, 1982, and 2006, making Italy the first nation to successfully defend the trophy. The team also claimed the UEFA European Championship in 1968 and 2020, reached the final in 2000 and 2012, and won the Olympic football tournament in 1936. Italy has twice topped the FIFA World Rankings, in 1993 and 2007. The squad’s home matches are played at various stadiums across the country, while its training base and technical headquarters, the Centro Tecnico Federale di Coverciano, is located in Florence. The team’s range of competition spans Europe and the world, with long-standing rivalries against Brazil, France, Germany, and Spain. A notable period of dominance occurred under coach Vittorio Pozzo, with Giuseppe Meazza as a key player, leading to the 1934 and 1938 World Cup victories. Italy also set a record unbeaten run of 37 competitive matches between 2018 and 2021. However, the team has experienced significant absences, failing to qualify for the 2018, 2022, and 2026 World Cups, its longest gap from the tournament. The squad’s history includes tragedy: in 1949, ten of eleven starting players died in a plane crash affecting Torino, severely weakening the team for the 1950 World Cup. Italy’s first official match was a 6–2 win over France in 1910, with Pietro Lana scoring the nation’s first goal. The team’s early success included a bronze medal at the 1928 Olympics and gold in 1936.
Reader's Guide
The Italy national football team is one of the most successful in international football, having won the FIFA World Cup four times, including the first successful defense of the title. The team also won the UEFA European Championship twice and the Olympic football tournament in 1936. Known as *gli Azzurri* for the Savoy blue of the House of Savoy, the side has long-standing rivalries with Brazil, France, Germany, and Spain. Italy has twice topped the FIFA World Rankings, in 1993 and 2007. Between 2018 and 2021, the team set a record unbeaten run of 37 competitive matches. Italy’s early history includes a bronze medal at the 1928 Olympics and two consecutive World Cup victories in 1934 and 1938 under coach Vittorio Pozzo, with star player Giuseppe Meazza. The 1934 final, hosted in Rome, was a 2–1 extra-time win over Czechoslovakia, while the 1938 final saw a 4–2 defeat of Hungary. After a 1949 plane crash that killed ten players from Torino, the team struggled in the 1950s and 1960s, including a shock 1966 World Cup loss to North Korea. Italy won its first European Championship in 1968 as hosts, defeating Yugoslavia in a replayed final. The team reached the World Cup final in 1970 and 1994. Italy failed to qualify for the World Cup in 2018, 2022, and 2026, its longest absence from the tournament.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the Italy national football team?
The Italy national football team, nicknamed 'gli Azzurri' (the Blues) after the color of the House of Savoy, represents Italy in international football competitions. They are one of the most decorated national sides in the sport's history.
What are Italy national football team's major achievements?
Italy has lifted the FIFA World Cup trophy four times and won the UEFA European Championship on two occasions. That combination of titles places them firmly among the most successful national programs in the game.
Who scored Italy's first-ever international goal?
Pietro Lana is credited with netting the first goal for the Italian national side in their early competitive matches. That milestone marked the opening chapter of what would become one of football's most storied national teams.
Why is the Italy national football team important to the sport?
As a four-time world champion and two-time European champion, Italy has helped define the tactical identity of international football through their emphasis on defensive structure and sharp counter-attacking. Their long-standing rivalries with Brazil, France, Germany, and Spain have produced some of the game's most memorable encounters.
Where does the 'Azzurri' nickname come from?
The name 'gli Azzurri,' meaning 'the Blues,' traces back to the blue color associated with the ruling House of Savoy in the Kingdom of Italy. The team has worn that shade in its kit ever since, making it one of the most instantly recognizable colors in world football.
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