With three FIFA World Cup™ titles to their name, Italy count as one of the greatest football nations in the world. Their first title was captured as early as 1934 at the second ever FIFA World Cup, held in their home country. Four years later in France they became the first team ever to successfully defend a FIFA World Cup title.
Their current tally of fifteen World Cup appearances means that they have failed to qualify only once - in 1958 in Sweden. Italy repeated their 1934 and '38 successes in 1982, becoming world champions for the third time largely thanks to an outstanding performance by striker Paolo Rossi. Rossi exploded into action in the knock-out stages, scoring a hat trick against Brazil to put his side through to the semi-final where his two goals against Poland paved the way to the final, where Italy won improbably 3-1 against Germany. Rossi crowned his performance by scoring his sixth goal of the tournament and winning the Golden Boot as top scorer.
The Italian team traditionally draws its strength from a strong national league, with world-famous teams such as AC Milan, Juventus and AC Roma. Italy's Serie A has produced such resonant names as Roberto Baggio, Christian Vieri, Filippo Inzaghi, Franco Baresi, Paolo Maldini, Marco Tardelli, Francesco Totti and the legendary Dino Zoff.
Founded: 1898
Affiliated: 1905
World Cup participations: 16 (1934, 1938, 1950, 1954, 1958, 1962, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002)
WC honours World champions: (1934, 1938, 1982)
Continental Titles European champions: (1968)
Annessa
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