"1998 Euro Beach Soccer Cup The 1998 Euro Beach Soccer Cup was the first Euro Beach Soccer Cup, one of Europe's two major beach soccer championships at the time, held in September 1998, in Siracusa, Italy. Portugal won the championship, with Spain finishing second. Hosts Italy beat Germany in the third place play off to finish third and fourth respectively. Seven nations participated in the tournament who were split into two groups of three and four, playing each other once in the groups. The second placed teams in each group played in a third place play off and the winners"
"Football in Italy Football (""calcio"" in Italian) is the most popular sport in Italy. The Italian national football team is considered to be one of the best national teams in the world. They have won the FIFA World Cup four times (1934, 1938, 1982, 2006), trailing only Brazil (with 5), runners-up in two finals (1970, 1994) and reaching a third place (1990) and a fourth place (1978). They have also won one European Championship (1968), also appearing in two finals (2000, 2012), finished third at the Confederations Cup (2013), won one Olympic football tournament (1936) and two Central European International"
"After Italy's 2006 World Cup victory, a fourth star was added to the tricolour badge. Italy has four main rivalries with other top footballing nations. Their rivalry with Brazil, known as the ""Clásico Mundial"" in Spanish or the World Derby in English, two of the most successful football nations in the world, having achieved nine World Cups between the two countries. Since it was first contested at the 1938 World Cup, they have played against each other a total of five times in the World Cup, most notably in the 1970 World Cup Final and the 1994 World Cup final"
"1984, 1988, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012), and 13 times in the Winter Olympic Games (1948, 1952, 1956, 1968, 1972, 1976, 1984, 1988, 1992, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006). In total, Italy has finished in the top 10 of the medal count 34 times so far. Sport in Italy Sport in Italy has a long tradition. In several sports, both individual and team, Italy has good representation and many successes. Football is the most popular sport in Italy. Italy won the 2006 FIFA World Cup, and is (along with Germany) currently the second most successful football team in World Cup history,"
"1938, 1982, 2006) and appearing in two other finals (1970, 1994), reaching a third place (1990) and a fourth place (1978). In 1938, they became the first team to defend their World Cup title, and due to the outbreak of World War II, retained the title for 16 years. Italy had also previously won two Central European International Cups (1927–30, 1933–35). Between its first two World Cup victories, Italy won the Olympic football tournament (1936). After the majority of the team was killed in a plane crash in 1949, the team did not advance past the group stage of the"
"France–Italy football rivalry The France–Italy football rivalry is a football rivalry between the national football teams of Italy and France, having achieved six FIFA World Cups between the two countries. Italy has won four FIFA World Cups in 1934, 1938, 1982 and 2006, while France has won two FIFA World Cups in 1998 and 2018. For many years Italy dominated (before 1982: 17 wins, three losses and six draws), while from 1982 the French team had not lost a single game against Italy (with five wins and four draws) until the 2006 World Cup final, which Italy won on penalties."
"on four different occasions: 1934, 1938, 1982, and 2006. Only Brazil has a better record. Major Italian clubs frequently compete at a high level of European competitions. Italy has also taken part in all the Winter Olympic Games, winning 114 medals, and 577 medals at the Summer Olympic Games. Italy has won a total of 246 gold medals which makes them the 6th most successful country in Olympic history, after the USA, the Soviet Union, Germany, Great Britain and France. Italy has the sixth highest medal total of all time with 701. Rugby union is also recognised in Italy; clubs"
"only one goal scored against Italy's two), and also the only World Cup winner to draw or lose three matches at the Finals. By winning, Italy equalled Brazil's record of winning the World Cup three times. Italy's total of twelve goals scored in seven matches set a new low for average goals scored per game by a World Cup winning side (subsequently exceeded by Spain in 2010), while Italy's aggregate goal difference of +6 for the tournament remains a record low for a champion, equalled by Spain. Italy's 40-year-old captain-goalkeeper Dino Zoff became the oldest player to win the World"
"Italy national football team The Italy national football team () has officially represented Italy in association football since their first match in 1910. The squad is under the global jurisdiction of FIFA and is governed in Europe by UEFA—the latter of which was co-founded by the Italian team's supervising body, the Italian Football Federation (FIGC). Italy's home matches are played at various stadiums throughout Italy, and have their primary training ground located at the FIGC headquarters in Coverciano, Florence. Italy is one of the most successful national teams in the history of the World Cup, having won four titles (1934,"
"having four FIFA World Cups, one UEFA European Championship and one Olympic tournament. Amongst the players who won the FIFA World Cup there are Giuseppe Meazza, Silvio Piola (to date the highest goalscorer in Italian first league history), Dino Zoff, Paolo Rossi, Marco Tardelli, Bruno Conti, Gianluigi Buffon, Fabio Cannavaro, Alessandro Del Piero, Andrea Pirlo and Francesco Totti. Amongst those who did not win the World Cup but laureated as European champions are Gianni Rivera, Luigi Riva (to date Italy's leading scorer of all time), Sandro Salvadore, Giacomo Bulgarelli, Pietro Anastasi and Giacinto Facchetti. Other prominent players who achieved success"
"currently it is the first time with four champions in a row from the same continental confederation. Italy and Brazil successfully defended their titles in 1938 and 1962 respectively, while Italy's triumph in 2006 has been followed by wins for Spain in 2010, Germany in 2014 and France in 2018. Currently, it is also the first time that one of the currently winning continents (Europe) is ahead of the other (South America) by more than one championship. At the end of each World Cup, awards are presented to the players and teams for accomplishments other than their final team positions"
"two gold medals at the 1924 and 1928 Summer Olympics and their two World Cup titles in 1930 and 1950). With five titles, Brazil are the most successful World Cup team and also the only nation to have played in every World Cup (21) to date. Brazil were also the first team to win the World Cup for the third (1970), fourth (1994) and fifth (2002) time. Italy (1934 and 1938) and Brazil (1958 and 1962) are the only nations to have won consecutive titles. West Germany (1982–1990) and Brazil (1994–2002) are the only nations to appear in three consecutive"
"present in 18 out of the 21 tournaments, reaching six finals, a third place and a fourth place. Champions Runners-up Third Place Fourth Place ""Italy's score listed first"" With temperatures around 40 °C (104 °F), Italy won their home tournament in 1934 after going into extra time against Czechoslovakia. After a difficult route to the final, defeating hosts France in the quarter-finals and Brazil in the semis, Italy was the first team to win the World Cup title on foreign ground. Also, it was the first of only two times in World Cup history that a team successfully defended their"
"at club level are Giampiero Boniperti, Romeo Benetti, Roberto Boninsegna, Roberto Bettega, Roberto Baggio and Paolo Maldini. Of the above-mentioned, the goalkeeper Dino Zoff, who served in the National team from 1968 to 1983, is to date the only Italian player to have won both the European championship (in 1968) and the FIFA World Cup (in 1982), apart from being the oldest winner ever of the World Cup. At club level, to date Italy has won a total of 12 European Cup / Champions' Leagues, 9 UEFA Cups / UEFA Europa League and 7 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup. Motorcycle racers"
"World Cup, making the total number of Juventus 25 (including 22 for the Italy team since 1934), more than any other club around the world. Three Juventus players have also won the European Football Championship with a nation other than Italy, Luis del Sol won it in 1964 with Spain, while the Frenchmen Michel Platini and Zidane won the competition in 1984 and 2000 respectively. Below is a list of all Juventus F.C. players to have played in the senior national team (or ""Nazionale A"" in Italian) in official matches since 1920. <br> National team in figures: the call-ups to"
"11 Golden Lions and 7 Golden Bears. The most popular sport in Italy is, by far, football. Italy's national football team (nicknamed ""Gli Azzurri"" – ""the Blues"") is one of the world's most successful team as it has won four FIFA World Cups (1934, 1938, 1982 and 2006). Italian clubs have won 48 major European trophies, making Italy the second most successful country in European football. Italy's top-flight club football league is named Serie A and ranks as the third best in Europe and is followed by millions of fans around the world. Other popular team sports in Italy include"
"preceding three years, to determine which teams qualify for the tournament phase, which is often called the ""World Cup Finals"". After this, 32 teams, including the automatically qualifying host nation(s), compete in the tournament phase for the title at venues within the host nation(s) over a period of about a month. The 21 World Cup tournaments have been won by eight national teams. Brazil have won five times, and they are the only team to have played in every tournament. The other World Cup winners are Germany and Italy, with four titles each; Argentina, France and inaugural winner Uruguay, with"
"Germany–Italy football rivalry The Germany–Italy football rivalry between the national football teams of Germany and Italy, the two most successful football nations in Europe and only behind Brazil internationally, is a long-running one. Overall, the two teams have won eight FIFA World Cup championships (four each) and made a total of 14 appearances in the final of the tournament (eight for Germany and six for Italy) – more than all the other European nations combined. They have played against each other five times in the World Cup, and many of these matches have been notable in the history of the"
"following two World Cup tournaments, and also failed to qualify for the 1958 edition—failure to qualify for the World Cup would not happen again until the 2018 edition. Italy returned to form by 1968, winning a European Championship (1968), and after a period of alternating unsuccessful qualification rounds in Europe, later appeared in two other finals (2000, 2012). Italy's highest finish at the FIFA Confederations Cup was in 2013, where the squad achieved a third-place finish. The team is known as ""Gli Azzurri"" (The Blues) as blue is the traditional colour of the national teams representing Italy due to the"
"times in the World Cup, notably in the ""Game of the Century"", the 1970 World Cup semifinal between the two countries that Italy won 4–3 in extra time, with five of the seven goals coming in extra time. Germany has also won three European Championships while Italy has won it once. The two countries have faced each other four times in the European championship, with three draws (one German penalty shoot-out victory) and one Italian victory. Germany had never defeated Italy in a major tournament match until their victory in the Euro 2016 quarterfinals, on penalties (though statistically considered a"
"for their performances in the quarter final. Germany–Italy football rivalry The Germany–Italy football rivalry between the national football teams of Germany and Italy, the two most successful football nations in Europe and only behind Brazil internationally, is a long-running one. Overall, the two teams have won eight FIFA World Cup championships (four each) and made a total of 14 appearances in the final of the tournament (eight for Germany and six for Italy) – more than all the other European nations combined. They have played against each other five times in the World Cup, and many of these matches have"
"annually since 1951 in the city of Sanremo. Since their debut Italy has taken part 37 times, and has won the contest twice - in 1964 with the song ""Non ho l'età"" (I'm not old enough) performed by Gigliola Cinquetti, and in 1990 with """" (Together: 1992) performed by Toto Cutugno. Italy has also come 2nd once - again with Gigliola Cinquetti and the song ""Sì"", and 3rd four times - including the global hit song ""Nel blu dipinto di blu"", also known as ""Volare"", performed by Domenico Modugno in 1958. Italy has also hosted the contest twice - in"
"World Cup and the final second group stage match of the 1982 World Cup won 3–2 by Italy. They have also met at two FIFA Confederations Cups as well as the 1976 U.S.A. Bicentennial Cup Tournament and the 1997 Tournoi de France. Brazil have won a total of eight meetings, slightly edging the Italians at five wins. The last meeting ended in a 4–2 victory for Brazil in Salvador, Brazil on 22 June 2013. During the 1938 World Cup semi-final on 16 June, nine minutes after Gino Colaussi's 51st-minute breakthrough, Giuseppe Meazza doubled Italy's lead from the penalty spot. While"
"by some. Italy hosted the 1934 World Cup, and played their first ever World Cup match in a 7–1 win over the United States in Rome. Italy defeated Czechoslovakia 2–1 in extra time in the final in Rome, with goals by Raimundo Orsi and Angelo Schiavio to achieve their first World cup title in 1934. They achieved their second title in 1938 in a 4–2 defeat of Hungary, with two goals by Gino Colaussi and two goals by Silvio Piola in the World Cup that followed. Rumour has it, before the 1938 finals fascist Italian Prime Minister Benito Mussolini was"
"volleyball team won three consecutive World Championships (in 1990, 1994, and 1998) and earned the Olympic silver medal in 1996, 2004, and 2016. Italy has a long and successful tradition in individual sports as well. Bicycle racing is a very familiar sport in the country. Italians have won the UCI World Championships more than any other country, except Belgium. The Giro d'Italia is a cycling race held every May, and constitutes one of the three Grand Tours, along with the Tour de France and the Vuelta a España, each of which last approximately three weeks. Alpine skiing is also a"
"one. Overall, the two teams have won eight FIFA World Cup championships (four each) and made a total of fourteen appearances in the final of the tournament (eight for Germany and six for Italy) – more than all the other European nations combined. They have played against each other five times in the World Cup, and many of these matches have been notable in the history of the tournament. ""Game of the Century"", the 1970 semifinal between the two countries that Italy won 4–3 in extra time, was so dramatic that it is commemorated by a plaque at the entrance"
"just two more ties Schiavone and Vinci. Former ATP World No. 7 and Davis Cup captain Corrado Barazzutti is the current captain of the Italian Fed Cup team, having held that position since 2002. As of April 2013, the team is the World No. 2 in the ITF rankings, with only Czech Republic holding a higher position. Italy competed in its first Fed Cup in 1963, the team consisting of Lea Pericoli and Silvana Lazzarino. They are one of four nations to have competed in every edition of the tournament. Italy won the Cup in 2006, 2009, 2010 and 2013."
"Brazil–Italy football rivalry The Brazil–Italy football rivalry, also known as the Clásico Mundial in Spanish or the World Derby in English, is a football rivalry between the national football teams of Brazil and Italy, two of the most successful football nations in the world, having achieved nine World Cups between the two countries. They have played against each other five times in the World Cup. Most notably, the 1970 World Cup Final and the 1994 World Cup final in which Brazil won 4–1, and 3–2 on penalties after a goalless draw, respectively, as well as the semifinals of the 1938"
"colour of the House of Savoy's banner. The national team is also known for its long-standing rivalries with other top footballing nations, such as those with Brazil, France, Germany and Spain. In the FIFA World Ranking, in force since August 1993, Italy has occupied the first place several times, in November 1993 and during 2007 (February, April-June, September), with its worst placement in August 2018 in 21st place. The team's first match was held in Milan on 15 May 1910. Italy defeated France by a score of 6–2, with Italy's first goal scored by Pietro Lana. Some turmoil kept the"
"a group stage, with the final 16 progressing to knockout stages to decide the winner. As of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, 79 national teams have competed at the final tournaments. Brazil are the only team to have appeared in all 21 tournaments to date, with Germany having participated in 19, Italy in 18, Argentina in 17 and Mexico in 16. To date, eight nations have won the tournament. The inaugural winners in 1930 were Uruguay; the current champions are France. The most successful nation in the competition are currently Brazil, who have won the cup on five occasions. Five"
"FIFA World Cup with the Italy national football team. Guangzhou won the Chinese Super League premiership in 2010 and 2011 and had reached the quarter-finals of the 2012 AFC Champions League. Guangzhou, like FC Seoul, had lost just once en route to the final, having scored 14 goals in their last four games. Choi had the full Italian squad at his disposal. The last time China had one the premiership was in 1990 with the Liaoning team. In 1998, Dalian Wanda had lost the premiership to the Pohang Steelers. ""Note: In all results below, the score of the finalist is"
"25–6. The previous record was a 25–8 achieved by United States against Puerto Rico during the 2014 World Championship. On 9 December 2015, FIVB announced that the tournament would be held in Italy and Bulgaria. For the first time the championship will take place in more than one country. The tournament will take place in six Italian cities (Bari, Bologna, Florence, Assago, Rome and Turin) and three Bulgarian cities (Ruse, Varna and Sofia). Both Italy and Bulgaria have previously hosted the Men's World Championship. Italy last organised the 2010 edition, when Brazil claimed the title their third straight title. Italy"
"FIFA World Cup The FIFA World Cup, often simply called the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of the """" (FIFA), the sport's global governing body. The championship has been awarded every four years since the inaugural tournament in 1930, except in 1942 and 1946 when it was not held because of the Second World War. The current champion is France, which won its second title at the 2018 tournament in Russia. The current format of the competition involves a qualification phase, which currently takes place over the"