Italy men's national water polo team
 | |
| Nickname(s) | Settebello |
|---|---|
| Association | Federazione Italiana Nuoto |
| Head coach | Alessandro Campagna |
| Captain | Pietro Figlioli |
| Olympic Games (team statistics) | |
| Appearances | 19 (first in 1920) |
| Best result |  (1948, 1960, 1992) |
| World Championship | |
| Appearances | 17 (first in 1973) |
| Best result | (1978, 1994, 2011) |
| World Cup | |
| Appearances | 11 (first in 1979) |
| Best result | (1993) |
| World League | |
| Appearances | 9 (first in 2002) |
| Best result |  (2003, 2011, 2017) |
| {{{Regional cup name}}} | |
| Appearances | 31 (first in 1927) |
| Best result | (1947, 1993, 1995) |
| {{{2ndRegional cup name}}} | |
| Appearances | 16 (first in 1955) |
| Best result | (1955, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1991, 1993) |
The Italian national water polo team represents Italy in men's international water polo competitions and is controlled by Federnuoto (the Italian Aquatics Federation). The national men's team has the nickname of "Settebello".
The Italian men's water polo team has won 8 Olympic medals, 6 World Championships, 5 World Cup, 11 European Championships medals and 3 World League medal, making them one of the most successful men's water polo teams in the world. They have won a combined six championships in those four competitions, with the World League being the only competition which Italy has yet to win.
History
Water Polo became popular in Italy soon after 1899, when an exhibition match was played at the Bath of Diana in Milan, with the match being described in the press as: "like football but more tiring and difficult, requiring energy and strength beyond the ordinary".[1]
Although a domestic league was soon established, the Italian national water polo team did not first compete at the Olympic Games until the 1920 Olympics, in Antwerp, Belgium, where they were forced to forfeit their first round match, before losing 5–1 to Greece and being eliminated.
The national team first fulfilled their potential at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London, England, when they went undefeated for the whole tournament to claim their first gold medal in the discipline.
The Italian team reclaimed the title of Olympic champions in front of a home crowd at the 1960 Olympics in Rome, Italy. Italy won their third Olympic title at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain, beating the hosts and tournament favourites Spain 9–8 after extra time in a thrilling final. Only Hungary (9), and Great Britain (4) have more Olympic titles.
The Italian national side have also won three World Championships, in 1978, 1994 and 2011,and the World Cup once in 1993. Italy also claimed their first European Championship in 1947.
Palmarès
| Competition | |
|
 |
Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olympic Games | 3 | 2 | 3 | 8 |
| World Championship | 3 | 2 | 1 | 6 |
| European Championship | 3 | 2 | 6 | 11 |
| Universiade | 3 | 3 | 4 | 10 |
| Mediterranean Games | 6 | 6 | 2 | 14 |
| Total | 18 | 15 | 15 | 48 |
Results
Olympic Games
| Year | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 1900
|
Did not participate | ||||||||
 1904
| |||||||||
 1908
| |||||||||
 1912
| |||||||||
 1920 |
11 | ||||||||
| 1924 |
10 | ||||||||
 1928 |
Didn't participate | ||||||||
 1932 |
Didn't participate | ||||||||
 1936 |
Didn't participate | ||||||||
| 1948 |
|
||||||||
 1952 |
|
||||||||
 1956 |
4 | ||||||||
 1960 |
|
||||||||
 1964 |
4 | ||||||||
 1968 |
4 | ||||||||
 1972 |
8 | ||||||||
 1976 |
|
||||||||
 1980 |
8 | ||||||||
| 1984 |
7 | ||||||||
 1988 |
7 | ||||||||
 1992 |
|
||||||||
| 1996 |
|
||||||||
| 2000 |
5 | ||||||||
 2004 |
8 | ||||||||
 2008 |
9 | ||||||||
| 2012 |
|
||||||||
 2016 |
|
||||||||
| Total | 20/27 | ||||||||
World Championship
- 1973 — 4th place
- 1975 —
Bronze medal - 1978 —
Gold medal - 1982 — 9th place
- 1986 —
Silver medal - 1991 — 6th place
- 1994 — Gold medal
- 1998 — 5th place
- 2001 — 4th place
- 2003 — Silver medal
- 2005 — 8th place
- 2007 — 5th place
- 2009 — 11th place
- 2011 — Gold medal
- 2013 — 4th place
- 2015 — 4th place
- 2017 — 6th place
FINA World League
- 2002 — Semifinal round
- 2003 — Silver medal
- 2004 — 4th place
- 2005 — Semifinal round
- 2006 — Preliminary round
- 2007 — Preliminary round
- 2008 — 7th place
- 2009 — 5th place
- 2010 — Preliminary round
- 2011 — Silver medal
- 2012 — Bronze medal
- 2013 — Preliminary round
- 2014 — Preliminary round
- 2015 — 7th place
- 2016 — 4th place
- 2017 — Silver medal
FINA World Cup
- 1979 — 6th place
- 1983 — Bronze medal
- 1985 — 5th place
- 1987 — 5th place
- 1989 — Silver medal
- 1993 — Gold medal
- 1995 — Silver medal
- 1997 — 5th place
- 1999 — Silver medal
- 2002 — 4th place
- 2006 — 5th place
European Championship
- 1927 — 12th place
- 1934 — 10th place
- 1938 — 5th place
- 1947 — Gold medal
- 1950 — 4th place
- 1954 — Bronze medal
- 1958 — 4th place
- 1962 — 8th place
- 1966 — 4th place
- 1970 — 4th place
- 1974 — 5th place
- 1977 — Bronze medal
- 1981 — 6th place
- 1983 — 7th place
- 1985 — 4th place
- 1987 — Bronze medal
- 1989 — Bronze medal
- 1991 — 4th place
- 1993 — Gold medal
- 1995 — Gold medal
- 1997 — 6th place
- 1999 — Bronze medal
- 2001 — Silver medal
- 2003 — 9th place
- 2006 — 5th place
- 2008 — 5th place
- 2010 — Silver medal
- 2012 — 4th place
- 2014 — Bronze medal
- 2016 — 6th place
- 2018 — 4th place
LEN Europa Cup
- 2018 — Bronze medal
Current squad
Roster for the 2018 Men's European Water Polo Championship.[2]
Head coach: Alessandro Campagna
| No | Name | Date of birth | Position | L/R | Height | Weight | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marco Del Lungo | 3 January 1990 | Goalkeeper | R | 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) | 100 kg (220 lb) | AN Brescia
|
| 2 | Francesco Di Fulvio | 15 August 1993 | Field player | R | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) | 82 kg (181 lb) | Pro Recco
|
| 3 | Guillermo Molina | 16 March 1984 | Centre back | R | 1.94 m (6 ft 4 in) | 108 kg (238 lb) | Pro Recco
|
| 4 | Pietro Figlioli (C) | 29 May 1984 | Field player | R | 1.92 m (6 ft 4 in) | 97 kg (214 lb) | Pallanuoto Sport Management
|
| 5 | Andrea Fondelli | 27 February 1994 | Field player | L | 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in) | 90 kg (200 lb) | Pallanuoto Sport Management
|
| 6 | Alessandro Velotto | 12 February 1995 | Defender | R | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | 79 kg (174 lb) | CC Napoli
|
| 7 | Vincenzo Renzuto | 8 April 1993 | Defender | R | 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in) | 76 kg (168 lb) |  VK Jug
|
| 8 | Valentino Gallo | 17 July 1985 | Field player | L | 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) | 92 kg (203 lb) | Pallanuoto Sport Management
|
| 9 | Nicholas Presciutti | 14 December 1993 | Centre forward | R | 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) | 90 kg (200 lb) | AN Brescia
|
| 10 | Michaël Bodegas | 3 May 1987 | Centre back | R | 1.92 m (6 ft 4 in) | 102 kg (225 lb) | Pro Recco
|
| 11 | Gonzalo Echenique | 27 April 1990 | Wing | L | 1.94 m (6 ft 4 in) | 94 kg (207 lb) | Pro Recco
|
| 12 | Zeno Bertoli | 22 December 1988 | Defender | R | 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) | 90 kg (200 lb) | AN Brescia
|
| 13 | Gianmarco Nicosia | 12 February 1998 | Goalkeeper | R | 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in) | 87 kg (192 lb) | Pallanuoto Sport Management
|
References
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 5 January 2011. Retrieved 20 May 2013.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help)CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) History of Italian Water Polo - ^ "Team Roster" (PDF). wp2018bcn.microplustiming.com. 16 July 2018.
External links
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Note: demonstration sport years indicated in italics |
