France–Italy football rivalry

France–Italy football rivalry

France–Italy match on 20 February 1921.
Locale Europe (UEFA)
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 Italy Parma Friendly Italy – France 1–2
36 17 June 2008 Switzerland Zürich 2008 Euros France – Italy 0–2
35 8 September 2007 Italy Milan 2008 Euro qualifier Italy – France 0–0
34 6 September 2006 France Paris 2008 Euro qualifier France – Italy 3–1
33 9 July 2006 Germany Berlin 2006 World Cup Final Italy – France 1–1
(a)
32 2 July 2000 Netherlands Rotterdam Euro 2000 Final France – Italy 2–1
(b)
31 3 July 1998 France Saint Denis 1998 World Cup France – Italy 0–0
(c)
30 11 June 1997 France Paris Friendly France – Italy 2–2
29 16 February 1994 Italy Naples Friendly Italy – France 0–1
28 17 June 1986 Mexico Mexico City 1986 World Cup France – Italy 2–0
(d)
27 23 February 1982 France Paris Friendly France – Italy 2–0
26 2 June 1978 Argentina Mar del Plata 1978 World Cup Italy – France 2–1
(e)
25 8 February 1978 Italy Naples Friendly Italy – France 2–2
24 19 March 1966 France Paris Friendly France – Italy 0–0
23 5 May 1962 Italy Florence Friendly Italy – France 2–1
22 9 November 1958 France Colombes / Paris Friendly France – Italy 2–2
21 5 May 1956 Italy Bologna Friendly Italy – France 2–0
20 11 April 1954 France Colombes / Paris Friendly France – Italy 1–3
19 3 June 1951 Italy Genoa Friendly Italy – France 4 – 1
18 4 April 1948 France Colombes / Paris Friendly France – Italy 1–3
17 4 December 1938 Italy Naples Friendly Italy – France 1–0
16 12 June 1938 France Colombes / Paris 1938 World Cup France – Italy 1–3
(f)
15 5 December 1937 France Paris Friendly France – Italy 0–0
14 17 February 1935 Italy Rome Friendly Italy – France 2–1
13 10 April 1932 France Colombes / Paris Friendly France – Italy 1–2
12 25 January 1931 Italy Bologna Friendly Italy – France 5–0
11 29 May 1928 Netherlands Amsterdam 1928 Summer Olympics France – Italy 3–4
10 24 April 1927 France Colombes / Paris Friendly France – Italy 3–3
09 22 March 1925 Italy Turin Friendly Italy – France 7–0
08 20 February 1921 France Marseille Friendly France – Italy 1–2
07 29 August 1920 Belgium Antwerp 1920 Summer Olympics France – Italy 3–1
06 18 January 1920 Italy Milan Friendly Italy – France 9–4
05 29 March 1914 Italy Turin Friendly Italy – France 2–0
04 12 January 1913 France Saint-Ouen / Paris Friendly France – Italy 1–0
03 17 March 1912 Italy Turin Friendly Italy – France 3–4
02 9 April 1911 France Saint-Ouen / Paris Friendly France – Italy 2–2
01 15 May 1910 Italy Milan Friendly Italy – France 6–2
(g)

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

France and Italy have played 37 Official Matches against each other since 1910.

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

UEFA Euro 2000

Main article: UEFA Euro 2000 Final

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

Statistics

Overall

See also

References

  1. ↑ France – Italy (Head-To-Head) at FIFA.com
  2. ↑ "France 2 Italy 1". BBC Sport. 2 July 2000. Retrieved 19 June 2013.
  3. ↑ "Trezeguet strikes gold for France". UEFA.com. 2 July 2000. Retrieved 28 February 2016.
  4. ↑ "France 2 - 1 Italy". Guardian UK. 2 July 2000. Retrieved 28 February 2016.
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