Northern Ireland v Italy (15/11/2021)

WORDS: LIAM BLACKBURN

FACT FILE: ITALY

• The nation’s first international match occurred in 1910 when they defeated France 6-2 in Milan. Italy then went on to win the bronze medal at the 1928 Olympics in Amsterdam, beating Eg ypt 11-3 to secure third place. • The 1930s were a golden period for the country. They won the World Cups in 1934 – when Italy hosted the tournament – and again in 1938 (in France) as coach Vittorio Pozzo became the only man to win two World Cup titles as a manager. One of their star players at that time was Giuseppe Meazza, an Inter Milan great who scored 33 times in 53 games for his country. Inter and AC Milan’s San Siro stadium was later named Stadio Giuseppe Meazza in his honour. • Between those World Cup triumphs Italy also won the gold medal at the 1936 Olympics. • Several members of the Italy squad tragically died in a 1949 plane crash involving the whole Torino team. The country did not make it out of the group stage at the World Cups in 1950, 1954, 1962 or 1966. • They were knocked out of the 1966 World Cup by North Korea, who stunned the two-time champions with a 1-0 victory in Middlesbrough. • However, Italy bounced back in 1968, winning the European Championship on home soil – the first time they had participated in the tournament . They defeated Yugoslavia in a replay to claim the trophy. • Italy reached the 1970 World Cup final after a thrilling 4-3 win over West Germany in the semi-finals, but they were then beaten 4-1 by the great Brazil side in Mexico City. • In 1982 Italy won their third World Cup, beating West Germany 3-1 in the final . Paolo Rossi finished as the competition’s top scorer with six goals. • The World Cup was staged in Italy again in 1990, and the hosts lost a semi-final penalty shootout to a Diego Maradona-inspired Argentina in Naples. Four years later the Azzurri suffered more heartache as Roberto Baggio missed the decisive kick in the final shootout loss to Brazil .

INTERNATIONAL • Northern Ireland face Italy hoping to continue their fine record against the Azzurri in Belfast . The boys in green and white have never lost to the Italians at home. • The two nations first met in Belfast in December 1957 in what was due to be a crucial World Cup qualifier for the tournament in 1958. However, Hungarian referee Istvan Zsolt was stranded in London because of fog so the game was downgraded to a friendly, which was an ill-tempered affair that finished 2-2. • Italy made the trip to Belfast again in January 1958 for the decisive World Cup qualifier, which Northern Ireland won 2-1, ensuring the home side qualified out of a group featuring the Azzurri and Portugal . It was the first time Italy, who had already won two World Cups at that point , failed to make the finals of the global tournament . They would go on to qualify for every World Cup tournament between 1962 and 2014. • Italy’s last trip to Belfast ended in a 0-0 draw in October 2010 in a Euro 2012 qualifier. Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci – both of whom were named in the initial squad for tonight’s fixture – started that evening. • The Italians have fared far better against Northern Ireland in their own country. Italy have won all seven of those games and Northern Ireland have not scored in any of their five previous trips to the country. • In the most recent FIFA World Rankings, Italy were fourth, behind only Belgium, Brazil and France. They have been the top-ranked nation

in the world on four occasions. The last time they were that high, however, was in September 2007.

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NIR V ITA