IT'S THE ITALIANS-THE AZZURRI

 

An early attempt to create an Italian national team occurred on 30 April 1899, when an Italian selection played a Swiss eleven, losing 0–2 in Torino.

The team's first official match was held in Milan on 15 May 1910. Italy defeated France 6–2, with Italy's first goal scored by Pietro Lana. The Italian team consisted of: De Simoni; Varisco, Calì; Trerè, Fossati, Capello; Debernardi, Rizzi, Cevenini I, Lana, Boiocchi. The first captain of the team was Francesco Calì.

The Italians' first success in an official tournament came with the bronze medal in 1928 Summer Olympics, Amsterdam. After losing the semi-final against Uruguay, an 11–3 victory against Egypt secured third place in the competition. In the 1927–30 and 1933–35 Central European International Cup, Italy achieved the first place out of five Central European teams, topping the group with 11 points in both editions of the tournament.  Italy would also later win the gold medal at the 1936 Summer Olympics with a 2–1 victory in extra time in the gold medal match over Austria on 15 August 1936.

After declining to participate in the inaugural World Cup (1930, in Uruguay), because it was too far to travel, the Italy national team won two consecutive tournaments in 1934 and 1938, under the direction of coach Vittorio Pozzo and the performance of Giuseppe Meazza, who is considered one of the best Italian football players of all time. The San Siro was previously named after the famous Italian. The San Siro, officially known as Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, is in the San Siro district of Milan, which is the home of A.C.Milan and Internazionale.

On 3 March 1980, the stadium was named in honour of Meazza, the two-time World Cup winner, who played for Inter and briefly for Milan and served two stints as Inter's manager.

Italy hosted the 1934 World Cup, and played their first World Cup match in a 7–1 win over the United States in Rome. Italy eventually defeated Czechoslovakia 2–1 in extra time in the final, with goals by Raimundo Orsi and Angelo Schiavio, to achieve their first World cup title in front of a home crowd.

They achieved their second title in 1938 defeating Hungary 4-2, with two goals by Gino Colaussi and two goals by Silvio Piola. Rumour has it, before the 1938 finals fascist Italian Prime Minister Benito Mussolini had sent a telegram to the team, saying "Vincere o morire!" (literally translated as "Win or die!"). However, no record remains of such a telegram, and World Cup player Pietro Rava said, when interviewed, "No, no, no, that's not true. He sent a telegram wishing us well, but no never 'win or die'.”

England play The Azzurri (the Blues) on Sunday at 8pm. The first meeting between the two was in 1933, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nEXZUuIRxM  Here is three minutes of film...watch for the Italian (must be) puffing his ciggy smoke into his posh lady neighbour...end of a beautiful relationship? Score was 1-1 goals scored in 4th by Pozzo of Italy and for England in the 24th scored by Cliff Bastin of Arsenal. Manager of the England side that day was the famous ex-Huddersfield and Arsenal manager Herbert Chapman. 

They met again in 1934 and 1939 but matches ceased until "peace" with a game in 1948. There were two fixtures in the 1950s, one in 1961, five in the 1970s, three in the 1980s, four in the 1990s including the World Cup 1990, which Italy won and in 1997, a 0-1 to Italy and a 0-0. Following those, they met in 2000 (0-1), 2002 (1-2), 2012 twice (0-0, 2-1), 2014 (1-2), 2015 (1-1) and 2018 (1-1). The link  below if excellent if you have time to follow the Italians success/failure. There are some bames you will salivate over....well get excitied about. Does anyone remember CH4 TV football from Italy on Sunday afternoons?

https://www.90min.com/posts/england-vs-italy-complete-head-to-head-record.