Italy national football team: Meaning (information, definition, explanation, facts)

Team colours
Home 　 Away
Nickname
Squadra Azzurra (Blue Squad)
Association
Italian Football Federation
Current coach
Marcello Lippi, 2004-
Most capped player
Paolo Maldini: 126
Highest goalscorer
Luigi Riva: 35
First International
Italy 6 - 2 France (Milan, Italy; 15 May, 1910)
Largest win
Italy 9 - 0 USA (Brentford, England; 2 August, 1948)
Largest defeat
Hungary 7 - 1 Italy (Budapest, Hungary; April 6, 1924)
World Cup
Finals appearances: 15 (First: 1934) Best result: Winners (3), 1934, 1938, 1982
European Championships
Finals appearances: 6 (First: 1968) Best result: Winners 1968

The Italy national football team is one of the most successful national football teams, having won three World Cups. The traditional jersey color of the national team is blue, and for that reason the national team is sometimes nicknamed "the Azzurri".

History

Italy has appeared in five World Cup finals in total, losing two to Brazil, a 4-1 defeat in 1970 final in Mexico and an agonising penalty shootout defeat in 1994, after a 0-0 at the end of extra time. Italy has won two World Cups consecutively, in 1934, when it was hosted in Italy, beating Czechoslovakia 2-1 in Rome and the 1938 World Cup, beating Hungary 4-2. Italy also hosted the World Cup in 1990, reaching the Semi-finals, losing 4-3 on penalties to Argentina after a 1-1 draw at the end of extra time. They beat England 2-1 in the third place play-off. They only conceded 2 goals in the whole tournament.

Italy has won the European Championship once, in 1968 when it was held in Italy. They drew 1-1 with Yugoslavia, and then in the replay won 2-0. Italy also reached the final of 2000, losing 2-1 to France after France equalised in the 90th minute and went on to win with a golden goal in extra time. Italy were knocked out of 2004 in the first round, equal on points to Sweden and Denmark, but scored fewer goals in the first two group matches. Giovanni Trapattoni, the coach was replaced by Marcello Lippi after Trapattoni's contract expired on 15 July 2004.

• 1930 - Did not enter
• 1934 - Winners
• 1938 - Winners
• 1950 - Round 1
• 1954 - Round 1
• 1958 - Did not qualify
• 1962 - Round 1
• 1966 - Round 1
• 1970 - Runners-up
• 1974 - Round 1
• 1978 - Fourth place
• 1982 - Winners
• 1986 - Round 2
• 1990 - Third place
• 1994 - Runners-up
• 1998 - Quarter-finals
• 2002 - Round 2

• 1960 - Did not enter
• 1964 - Did not qualify
• 1968 - Winners
• 1972 - Did not qualify
• 1976 - Did not qualify
• 1980 - 4th place
• 1984 - Did not qualify
• 1988 - Semifinals
• 1992 - Did not qualify
• 1996 - Round 1
• 2000 - Runners-up
• 2004 - Round 1

• Roberto Baggio
• Franco Baresi
• Giuseppe Bergomi
• Giampiero Boniperti
• Gianluigi Buffon
• Giacinto Facchetti
• Paolo Maldini
• Giuseppe Meazza
• Alessandro Nesta
• Alessandro Del Piero
• Paolo Rossi
• Gianni Rivera
• Francesco Totti
• Christian Vieri
• Dino Zoff
• Gianfranco Zola