France–Italy football rivalry
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Location | Europe (UEFA) |
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Teams | France Italy |
First meeting | Italy 6–2 France (15 May 1910) |
Latest meeting | France 2–1 Italy (14 November 2012) |
Statistics | |
Meetings total | 37 |
Most wins | Italy (18) France (9) |
Largest victory | Italy 7–0 France (22 March 1925) |
Largest goal scoring | Italy 9–4 France (18 January 1920) |
The France–Italy football rivalry between the national teams of France and Italy are longtime rivals, as the two countries are neighbours and football is Italy's national sport. In recent times this rivalry has been more diffused, as many top French players made their names while playing for Serie A clubs, notably Lilian Thuram (Parma FC & Juventus), David Trezeguet (Juventus), Marcel Desailly (A.C. Milan) and Zinedine Zidane (Juventus) to name a few.
For many years Italy dominated (before 1982: 17 wins, 3 losses and 6 draws), while from 1982 the French team had not lost a single game against Italy (with 5 wins and 4 draws) until the 2006 World Cup final, which Italy won on penalties.[1] France would remain unbeaten against Italy within 90 minutes until UEFA Euro 2008, when Italy beat them 2–0 to eliminate them at the group stage.
Several other games remain in the memory of football fans and have put their mark on the World Cup and of the European Football Championship. Among them, the 2006 World Cup Final, when the Italians defeated the French 5–3 in the penalty shoot-out, after an 1–1 draw, and the 2000 European Championship, won by France with an extra-time golden goal by David Trezeguet.
List of matches
Number | Date | Location | Competition | Game | Results |
37 | 14 November 2012 | Parma | Friendly | Italy – France | 1–2 |
36 | 17 June 2008 | Zürich | 2008 Euros | France – Italy | 0–2 |
35 | 8 September 2007 | Milan | 2008 Euro qualifier | Italy – France | 0–0 |
34 | 6 September 2006 | Paris | 2008 Euro qualifier | France – Italy | 3–1 |
33 | 9 July 2006 | Berlin | 2006 World Cup Final | Italy – France | 1–1 (a) |
32 | 2 July 2000 | Rotterdam | Euro 2000 Final | France – Italy | 2–1 (b) |
31 | 3 July 1998 | Saint Denis | 1998 World Cup | France – Italy | 0–0 (c) |
30 | 11 June 1997 | Paris | Friendly | France – Italy | 2–2 |
29 | 16 February 1994 | Naples | Friendly | Italy – France | 0–1 |
28 | 17 June 1986 | Mexico City | 1986 World Cup | France – Italy | 2–0 (d) |
27 | 23 February 1982 | Paris | Friendly | France – Italy | 2–0 |
26 | 2 June 1978 | Mar del Plata | 1978 World Cup | Italy – France | 2–1 (e) |
25 | 8 February 1978 | Naples | Friendly | Italy – France | 2–2 |
24 | 19 March 1966 | Paris | Friendly | France – Italy | 0–0 |
23 | 5 May 1962 | Florence | Friendly | Italy – France | 2–1 |
22 | 9 November 1958 | Colombes / Paris | Friendly | France – Italy | 2–2 |
21 | 5 May 1956 | Bologna | Friendly | Italy – France | 2–0 |
20 | 11 April 1954 | Colombes / Paris | Friendly | France – Italy | 1–3 |
19 | 3 June 1951 | Genoa | Friendly | Italy – France | 4 – 1 |
18 | 4 April 1948 | Colombes / Paris | Friendly | France – Italy | 1–3 |
17 | 4 December 1938 | Naples | Friendly | Italy – France | 1–0 |
16 | 12 June 1938 | Colombes / Paris | 1938 World Cup | France – Italy | 1–3 (f) |
15 | 5 December 1937 | Paris | Friendly | France – Italy | 0–0 |
14 | 17 February 1935 | Rome | Friendly | Italy – France | 2–1 |
13 | 10 April 1932 | Colombes / Paris | Friendly | France – Italy | 1–2 |
12 | 25 January 1931 | Bologna | Friendly | Italy – France | 5–0 |
11 | 29 May 1928 | Amsterdam | 1928 Summer Olympics | France – Italy | 3–4 |
10 | 24 April 1927 | Colombes / Paris | Friendly | France – Italy | 3–3 |
09 | 22 March 1925 | Turin | Friendly | Italy – France | 7–0 |
08 | 20 February 1921 | Marseille | Friendly | France – Italy | 1–2 |
07 | 29 August 1920 | Antwerp | 1920 Summer Olympics | France – Italy | 3–1 |
06 | 18 January 1920 | Milan | Friendly | Italy – France | 9–4 |
05 | 29 March 1914 | Turin | Friendly | Italy – France | 2–0 |
04 | 12 January 1913 | Saint-Ouen / Paris | Friendly | France – Italy | 1–0 |
03 | 17 March 1912 | Turin | Friendly | Italy – France | 3–4 |
02 | 9 April 1911 | Saint-Ouen / Paris | Friendly | France – Italy | 2–2 |
01 | 15 May 1910 | Milan | Friendly | Italy – France | 6–2 (g) |
- (a) Italy wins the 2006 FIFA World Cup after penalties (5–3)
- (b) Golden goal in extra time by David Trezeguet, France wins the 2000 European Championship
- (c) France wins the quarter-final after penalties (4–3) and later wins the 1998 World Cup
- (d) Goals by Michel Platini and Yannick Stopyra, France qualifies for the quarter-finals
- (e) Bernard Lacombe scores one of the fastest goal in history, but Italy wins.
- (f) Italy wins the quarter-final and later wins the 1938 FIFA World Cup
- (g) First international match ever for Italy
Comparison of France and Italy in major international tournaments
Tournament | France | Italy | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1930 World Cup | 5–8 | DNP | |
1934 World Cup | 9–16 | 1 | |
1938 World Cup | 9–16 | 1 | In the quarter finals, Italy defeated France 3–1. |
1950 World Cup | DNP | 9–16 | |
1954 World Cup | 9–16 | 9–16 | |
1958 World Cup | 3 | FTQ | |
1960 Euros | 4 | DNP | |
1962 World Cup | FTQ | 9–16 | |
1964 Euros | FTQ | FTQ | |
1966 World Cup | 9–16 | 9–16 | |
1968 Euros | FTQ | 1 | |
1970 World Cup | FTQ | 2 | |
1972 Euros | FTQ | FTQ | |
1974 World Cup | FTQ | 9–16 | |
1976 Euros | FTQ | FTQ | |
1978 World Cup | 9–16 | 4 | France and Italy were placed in the same first round group. Italy defeated France 2–1, in the match between the two teams. |
1980 Euros | FTQ | 4 | |
1982 World Cup | 4 | 1 | |
1984 Euros | 1 | FTQ | |
1986 World Cup | 3 | 9–16 | In the round of 16, France defeated Italy 2–0. |
1988 Euros | FTQ | 4 | |
1990 World Cup | FTQ | 3 | |
1992 Euros | 5–8 | FTQ | |
1994 World Cup | FTQ | 2 | |
1996 Euros | 4 | 9–16 | |
1998 World Cup | 1 | 5–8 | In the quarter finals, France defeated Italy 4–3 on penalties after extra time. |
2000 Euros | 1 | 2 | In the final, France defeated Italy 2–1 after extra time. |
2002 World Cup | 17–32 | 9–16 | |
2004 Euros | 5–8 | 9–16 | |
2006 World Cup | 2 | 1 | In the final, Italy defeated France 5–3 on penalties. |
2008 Euros | 9–16 | 5–8 | France and Italy were placed in the same first round group. Italy defeated France 2–0, in the match between the two teams. |
2010 World Cup | 17–32 | 17–32 | Both defending finalists were eliminated in the group stage, the first time this occurred. |
2012 Euros | 5–8 | 2 | |
2014 World Cup | 5–8 | 17–32 |
1998 World Cup
On 3 July, Italy and France were matched up for a quarter-final in which ended in a goalless draw after 120 minutes. In the shootout France won 4–3 to advance and would go on to with the 1998 World Cup 3–0 over Brazil.
Penalty Shoot-out
- 1:0 Zinedine Zidane (France) - Scored
- 1:1 Roberto Baggio (Italy) - Scored
- 1:1 Bixente Lizarazu (France) - Missed
- 1:1 Demetrio Albertini (Italy) - Missed
- 2:1 David Trezeguet (France) - Scored
- 2:2 Alessandro Costacurta (Italy) - Scored
- 3:2 Thierry Henry (France) - Scored
- 3:3 Christian Vieri (Italy) - Scored
- 4:3 Laurent Blanc (France) - Scored
- 4:3 Luigi Di Biagio (Italy) - Missed
UEFA Euro 2000
On 2 July, Marco Delvecchio gave Italy the lead in the 55th minute and they held on until the final minute of injury time, when Sylvain Wiltord crashed a low drive past Italian keeper Francesco Toldo to take the game into extra time.[2] France won the game just before half-time in extra-time when Robert Pirès cut the ball back for David Trezeguet to fire the golden goal and win the tournament 2–1 for France.[3][4]
2006 World Cup
The final match of the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany were to be contested between Italy and France on July 9. After only seven minutes of play, France was awarded a controversial penalty which Zinedine Zidane, in his last match before retiring, converted into a goal. Italy equalized twelve minutes later, however, after a header on a corner by Marco Materazzi, the same player whose foul had yielded the penalty. These two would later in match be involved in a controversial situation which was subject to worldwide discussion.
During the second half, Toni scored a goal being in regular position but the referee did not validate it because another player (De Rossi) was offside. After 90 minutes of play, the score was still 1–1, with each team having had one good half. Italy was the better team in the first half, while France played better during the second half. Regardless, the score was tied and extra time would have to be played.
Five minutes into the second half of extra time, a discussion between Zidane and Materazzi occurred after an French attack during which Materazzi had marked Zidane. At first, Zidane walked away from Materazzi, but then something said caused the Frenchman to turn around and head butt the Italian in the chest. The ref, who did not see the situation, stopped play because Materazzi had fallen to the ground. Following a discussion between the ref, the assistant ref, and the fourth ref, Zidane was shown a red card and sent off.
Despite Italy being one man up for the last ten minutes of the match, no team managed to score, and the match went to penalties. This was the second time in the history of the World Cup that the final match would be decided on penalties, the first time being when Brazil beat Italy in 1994.
Perhaps the most surprising part was that Barthez and Buffon, both dubbed as some of the world's best goalkeepers, failed to save any of the penalties. All the Italian players scored while David Trezeguet's hit the crossbar and the ball did not cross the goal line.
After the match, Zidane was given the Golden Ball award as the tournament's best player. Fabio Cannavaro and Andrea Pirlo, both from Italy, placed second and third respectively.
Penalty Shoot-out
- 1:0 Andrea Pirlo (Italy) - Scored
- 1:1 Sylvain Wiltord (France) - Scored
- 2:1 Marco Materazzi (Italy) - Scored
- 2:1 David Trezeguet (France) - Missed
- 3:1 Daniele De Rossi (Italy) - Scored
- 3:2 Éric Abidal (France) - Scored
- 4:2 Alessandro Del Piero (Italy) - Scored
- 4:3 Willy Sagnol (France) - Scored
- 5:3 Fabio Grosso (Italy) - Scored
Statistics
Overall
See also
References
- ^ France – Italy (Head-To-Head) at FIFA.com
- ^ "France 2 Italy 1". BBC Sport. 2 July 2000. Retrieved 19 June 2013.
- ^ "Trezeguet strikes gold for France". UEFA.com. 2 July 2000. Retrieved 28 February 2016.
- ^ "France 2 - 1 Italy". Guardian UK. 2 July 2000. Retrieved 28 February 2016.