History of Italy national football team in Timeline
The Italy national football team represents Italy in men's international football, with its first match in 1910. It's controlled by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), a co-founder and member of UEFA. Home matches occur in various stadiums across Italy, while the Centro Tecnico Federale di Coverciano in Florence serves as the team's primary training ground and technical headquarters. The team is a prominent figure in international soccer.
6 hours ago : Italy's World Cup Qualification in Doubt, Spalletti's Sacking Looms After Humiliating Loss
Italy faces World Cup qualification uncertainty after a defeat, sparking panic. Despite being sacked, Spalletti coached on Monday. Capello criticized Calafiori, Acerbi, and the team following a humiliating loss to Norway and suggested Ranieri as a replacement.
1910: Italy's first international match
In 1910, the Italy national football team played its first match, marking the beginning of Italy's journey in men's international football.
1927: Central European International Cup win
In 1927, Italy achieved first place in the Central European International Cup (1927–30), topping the group with 11 points.
1933: Central European International Cup win
In 1933, Italy achieved first place in the Central European International Cup (1933–35), topping the group with 11 points.
1934: World Cup Title
In 1934, Italy won its first World Cup title, marking a significant achievement in the nation's football history.
1936: Olympic football tournament win
In 1936, Italy won the Olympic football tournament.
1936: 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin
In 1936, the Italy national team wore a blue shirt, white shorts and black socks at the Olympic Games in Berlin.
1938: World Cup Title
In 1938, Italy achieved their second World Cup title, defeating Hungary 4–2, with two goals by Gino Colaussi and two goals by Silvio Piola.
1938: Reference to previous World Cup win
In 1968, Italy won their first major competition since the 1938 World Cup.
1946: Reinstatement of the Blue-and-White Kit
In 1946, after World War II, the blue-and-white kit was reinstated, and the cross of the Royal House of Savoy was removed from the flag and team's badge, leaving only the Tricolore.
1946: Team Name Change
In 1946, the team later became known as gli Azzurri (the Blues).
1948: Italy's Highest Winning Margin
In 1948, Italy achieved their highest winning margin of nine goals against the United States (9–0).
1949: Torino plane crash
In 1949, 10 of the 11 players in the team's initial line-up were killed in a plane crash that affected Torino.
1949: Plane crash tragedy
In 1949, a plane crash resulted in the death of the majority of the Italian football team.
1950: World Cup First Round
In 1950, Italy did not advance further than the first round of the World Cup, weakened by the air disaster.
1954: World Cup First Round
In the 1954 World Cup, Italy failed to progress past the first round.
1958: Italy Fails to Qualify for the World Cup
In 1958, Italy failed to qualify for the World Cup, which was the first time since 1958.
1960: Did not participate in the European Championship
In 1960, Italy did not take part in the first edition of the European Championship (then known as the European Nations Cup).
1962: World Cup First Round
In the 1962 World Cup, Italy failed to progress past the first round.
1964: Knocked out of European Nations' Cup qualifying
In 1964, Italy was knocked out by the Soviet Union in the first round of the European Nations' Cup qualifying.
1966: World Cup Defeat to North Korea
In 1966, Italy's participation in the World Cup ended with a 0–1 defeat at the hands of North Korea, leading to condemnation and backlash from fans.
1967: Transition to Single Coach
Ever since 1967, the Italy national team has been controlled only by the coach, who is still called Technical Commissioner (Italian: commissario tecnico) or CT.
1968: European Championship Title
In 1968, Italy won the European Championship, marking a significant triumph in European football.
1968: Italy's Previous European Championship Win
In 1968, Italy won their first European title.
1970: World Cup Final
In 1970, Italy reached the World Cup final, showcasing a strong performance throughout the tournament.
1970: Staffetta between Mazzola and Rivera
In 1970, there was a controversial staffetta (relay) between Mazzola and Rivera.
1978: Fourth Place Finish
In 1978, Italy finished fourth place in the World Cup.
1980: European Championship
In 1980, Italy hosted the European Championship, automatically qualifying for the finals and eventually being beaten by Czechoslovakia in the third-place match on penalties 9–8.
July 1982: World Cup Victory
On July 11, 1982, Italy won the World Cup, defeating West Germany 3–1 in the final in Madrid, with goals from Paolo Rossi, Marco Tardelli, and Alessandro Altobelli. Paolo Rossi won the Golden Boot and Golden Ball Award, and Dino Zoff became the oldest player to win the World Cup.
1982: World Cup Qualification and Press Black-Out
In 1982, after a scandal in Serie A and uninspiring draws, Italy qualified for the second round of the World Cup and decided on a press black-out. They advanced through a group with Argentina and Brazil, with Paolo Rossi scoring a hat-trick against Brazil.
1983: Addition of Gold Stars to Tricolour
In 1983, to celebrate the previous year's World Cup win, three gold stars replaced ITALIA above the tricolour on the Italy national team's kit, representing their three World Cup victories.
1984: Failed Euro Qualification
1984: Launch of Round Emblem
In 1984, a round emblem was launched, featuring the three stars, the inscriptions ITALIA and FIGC, and the tricolour on the Italy national team's kit.
1986: Azeglio Vicini appointed as head coach
In 1986, Azeglio Vicini was appointed as the new head coach of the Italian national team, replacing Enzo Bearzot.
1988: Euro 1988
In 1988, Italy qualified for the European Championship, where the Soviet Union defeated them in the semi-finals.
1990: Third Place Finish
In 1990, Italy finished in third place at the World Cup, highlighting a notable achievement on home soil.
December 1992: Introduction of FIFA ranking system
In December 1992, FIFA introduced the ranking system for national football teams.
1994: World Cup Final
In 1994, Italy reached the World Cup final, demonstrating a competitive presence on the global stage.
1994: Italy at the 1994 World Cup
In 1994, at the World Cup in the United States, Italy lost their opening match to Ireland. They advanced from Group E after a win against Norway and a draw with Mexico. Baggio scored late goals against Nigeria and Spain, and two goals against Bulgaria. In the final against Brazil, after 120 minutes of scoreless football, Italy lost the penalty shootout after Baggio missed the final penalty.
1996: Italy at Euro 1996
In 1996, Italy, led by Sacchi, participated in Euro 1996 in England but did not progress beyond the group stage. They defeated Russia but lost to the Czech Republic. In their final group match against Germany, Gianfranco Zola missed a penalty, resulting in a draw and elimination.
July 2000: Giovanni Trapattoni Takes Charge
In July 2000, Giovanni Trapattoni took charge of the Italian national team following the resignation of Dino Zoff.
2000: European Championship Final
In 2000, Italy appeared in the European Championship final.
2000: Italy at Euro 2000
In 2000, led by Dino Zoff, Italy reached the semi-finals of Euro 2000, defeating the Netherlands on penalties. Francesco Toldo saved penalties, and Francesco Totti scored with a 'cucchiaio' chip. Italy lost the final 2–1 against France after conceding a late equalising goal. Dino Zoff resigned after the defeat.
2002: Italy at the 2002 FIFA World Cup
In 2002, Italy participated in the FIFA World Cup. They secured a 2–0 victory against Ecuador. During the match against Croatia, two regular goals were disallowed resulting in a 2–1 defeat. A late goal from Alessandro Del Piero helped Italy draw with Mexico, advancing them to the knockout stages.
2003: Puma as Kit Manufacturer
From 2003 to 2022, Puma was the kit manufacturer for the Italy national team.
July 2006: Italy Wins 2006 FIFA World Cup
On 9 July 2006, Italy won their fourth World Cup title after defeating France in the final. Zinedine Zidane scored for France, and Marco Materazzi equalised. Italy won the penalty shootout 5–3, with the decisive penalty scored by Grosso. Zidane was sent off for headbutting Materazzi.
2006: Addition of Fourth Star
After Italy's 2006 World Cup victory, a fourth star was added to the tricolour badge on the Italy national team's kit.
2006: World Cup Title
In 2006, Italy won its fourth World Cup title, adding to its legacy in international football.
2008: Italy at Euro 2008
In 2008, Italy participated in Euro 2008, losing to the Netherlands, drawing with Romania, and winning against France. They were eliminated in the quarter-finals on penalties to Spain.
June 2009: Italy at the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup
In June 2009, Italy qualified for the FIFA Confederations Cup in South Africa after winning the 2006 World Cup. They won their opening match against the United States, but subsequent defeats to Egypt and Brazil meant they were eliminated.
2010: Italy Eliminated in First Round of 2010 World Cup
In 2010, at the World Cup in South Africa, Italy were eliminated in the first round, finishing last in their group. They drew with Paraguay and New Zealand, and lost to Slovakia. It was the first time Italy failed to win a single game at a World Cup tournament.
2012: European Championship Final
In 2012, Italy appeared in the European Championship final.
2014: Italy at the 2014 FIFA World Cup
In 2014, at the FIFA World Cup, Italy defeated England in their first match but lost to Costa Rica and Uruguay. Claudio Marchisio was sent off in the match against Uruguay, and Luis Suarez bit Giorgio Chiellini. Cesare Prandelli resigned as coach.
October 2015: Italy Qualifies for Euro 2016
On 10 October 2015, Italy qualified for Euro 2016 after a 3–1 win over Azerbaijan, marking 50 games unbeaten in European qualifiers.
2016: Gian Piero Ventura Took Over
In 2016, Gian Piero Ventura took over as manager for the team after Conte's departure.
November 2017: Ventura Dismissed as Head Coach
On 15 November 2017, Gian Piero Ventura was dismissed as head coach of the Italian national team. On 20 November 2017, Carlo Tavecchio resigned as president of the Italian Football Federation.
March 2018: Luigi Di Biagio Leads Team as Caretaker Manager
In March 2018, Luigi Di Biagio was called as caretaker manager and led the team in friendlies, including Gianluigi Buffon's last appearance on 23 March in a friendly against Argentina.
May 2018: Roberto Mancini Announced as New Manager
On 14 May 2018, Roberto Mancini was announced as the new manager of the Italian national team.
October 2018: Start of Unbeaten Streak
In October 2018, Italy began an unbeaten streak that would last until October 2021.
2020: European Championship Title
In 2020, Italy won the European Championship, showcasing a dominant performance in the tournament.
2020: Italy at Euro 2020
In 2020, at the delayed Euro 2020, Italy finished top of Group A, winning each group stage match without conceding. In the round of 16, Italy defeated Austria, and in the quarter-finals, they secured a victory over Belgium, before beating Spain on penalties in the semi-finals.
October 2021: End of Unbeaten Streak
In October 2021, Italy's unbeaten streak ended after 37 matches, setting a world record.
March 2022: 2022 World Cup qualifying Group C match
In March 2022, Italy lost 1-0 against North Macedonia in the semi-final of the play-offs, failing to qualify for the World Cup for the second consecutive time, marking their first-ever World Cup qualifying home defeat.
2022: Failed World Cup qualification
In 2022, Italy failed to qualify for the World Cup.
June 2023: UEFA Nations League Finals
In June 2023, Italy lost the semi-final against Spain 2–1. Three days later, in June 2023, Italy won the third-place match 3–2 against the Netherlands.
2024: Euro 2024 qualifying
In 2024, Italy were eliminated from the tournament in the round of 16 following a 2–0 loss to Switzerland.
March 2025: Italian national team match record
As of March 2025, the Italian national team's complete official match record comprises 887 matches: 472 wins, 241 draws and 174 losses. During these matches, the team scored 1,549 times and conceded 877 goals.
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