Italy stands among the most successful
national teams in the World Cup's history, securing four titles (1934, 1938,
1982, 2006) and reaching two additional finals (1970, 1994), as well as
claiming third place (1990) and fourth place (1978). In 1938, they became the
first team to successfully defend their World Cup title, a feat extended by 12
years due to World War II. Italy also clinched two Central European
International Cups (1927–30, 1933–35) and won the Olympic football tournament
in 1936. Tragically, a plane crash in 1949 claimed the lives of most team
members, leading to their failure to progress past the group stage in
subsequent World Cups and their absence from the 1958 edition. The team's next
failure to qualify for the World Cup would not occur until the 2018 edition.
Italy regained momentum by 1968, securing a European Championship. Despite
intermittent struggles in European qualification rounds, they reached two more
finals (2000, 2012). The team achieved its highest FIFA Confederations Cup finish
in 2013, securing a commendable third place.
Known as gli Azzurri (the Blues), the team sports Savoy blue—the traditional color of the royal House of Savoy, which reigned over the Kingdom of Italy from 1860 to 1946. Italy's national team is renowned for intense rivalries with top footballing nations, including Brazil, Croatia, France, Germany, and Spain. Over the years, Italy has seen various rankings in the FIFA World Rankings, reaching the top spot multiple times (November 1993, February, April–June, September 2007), with its lowest placement in August 2018 at 21st. The team's resilience, triumphs, and contributions to international football have solidified Italy's place as a football powerhouse with a storied legacy.