The Italy national football team, known as the Azzurri for their distinctive blue kits, represents one of the most storied traditions in international football. The federation that governs the team, the Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio (FIGC), was founded in 1898, and the national side played its first official international match in 1910. Italy's connection to the sport runs even deeper historically: a game called calcio, played in the city squares of Renaissance Florence and other Italian cities from at least the 15th century, is widely regarded as one of football's earliest ancestors.
Italy's record on the world stage is exceptional. The Azzurri have won the FIFA World Cup four times — in 1934, 1938, 1982, and 2006 — making them one of the most successful nations in the tournament's history. The 1934 and 1938 victories came on home soil and in France respectively during the era of coach Vittorio Pozzo, who remains the only manager to win the World Cup twice. The 1982 triumph in Spain, led by Paolo Rossi's golden boot, and the 2006 victory in Germany, anchored by a resolute defensive unit, represent two contrasting but equally celebrated eras.
At the European Championship level, Italy claimed the title in 1968 on home soil and again in 2020 (played in 2021), the latter a triumphant run under Roberto Mancini that captured widespread admiration for its attacking fluency.
The rivalry with Germany and Argentina has historically defined Italy's identity in major tournaments, while domestically the team draws its talent from one of the richest club football ecosystems in the world, built around Serie A.