Football in Italy

Football is the most popular sport in Italy. The Italian national football team is considered to be one of the best national teams in the world. They have won the FIFA World Cup four times (1934, 1938, 1982, 2006), trailing only Brazil (with 5), appearing in two finals (1970, 1994) and reaching a third place (1990). They have also won one European championship (1968), also appearing in two finals (2000, 2012), one Olympic football tournament (1936) and two Central European International Cups. Italy's club sides have won 27 major European trophies, making them the most successful nation in European football. Italy's top domestic league, the Serie A, is one of the most popular professional sports leagues in the world. Serie A hosts three of the world's most famous clubs as Juventus, Milan and Inter, all founding members of the G-14, a group which represented the largest and most prestigious European football clubs; Serie A was the only league to produce three founding members. More players have won the coveted Ballon d'Or award while playing at a Serie A club than any other league in the world. The Italian word for football is  calcio  and this is the word used to make reference to the sport in Italy, as opposed to football in England or soccer in the United States and Canada.

National teams
The Italian national team, called Azzurri or squadra azzurra for their blue shirts, are the second-most successful national team in the world. During the 1970s to early 1990s Italy became famous for their catenaccio, thus heralding a long line of world class defenders such as Virginio Rosetta, Pietro Rava, Carlo Parola, Giacinto Facchetti, Armando Picchi, Gaetano Scirea, Antonio Cabrini, Claudio Gentile, Franco Baresi, Giuseppe Bergomi, Paolo Maldini, Fabio Cannavaro and Alessandro Nesta.

A women's team, an under-21 team, an under-20 team, an under-19 team, and an under-17 team also compete.

Their honours include:
 * 4 FIFA World Cups
 * 1 European Football Championship
 * 1 Olympic Gold Medal
 * 5 European Championships U21
 * 3 European Championships U18
 * 2 European Championships U16
 * 7 Summer Universiades
 * 8 World Military Championships
 * 1 European Futsal Championship

They have been finalists in:
 * 2 World Cups
 * 2 European Championship
 * 2 Bronze medals at Olympic Games
 * 2 European Championship U21
 * 1 European Championship U19
 * 4 European Championship U18
 * 3 European Championship U16
 * 2 Summer Universiades
 * 4 World Military Championships

European competitions for clubs

 * 12 UEFA European Cups won in 26 finals (first with Spain)
 * 7 UEFA Cup Winners' Cups won in 11 finals (first is England with 8/13)
 * 9 UEFA Cups won in 15 finals (first)
 * 9 UEFA Super Cups won in 12 finals (first)
 * 9 Intercontinental/World Club Cups (first with Argentina/Brazil)

In Total:
 * Italy, 44 cups and 66 finals (first)

UEFA Champions League
The following teams have advanced to elimination rounds in the UEFA Champions League.


 * Sampdoria (1991–92 – Runners-up)
 * Milan (1992–93 – Runners-up, 1993–94 – Champions, 1994–95 – Runners-up, 2002–03 – Champions, 2003–04 – Quarter-finals, 2004–05 – Runners-up, 2005–06 – Semi-finals, 2006–07 – Champions, 2011–12 - Quarter-finals)
 * Juventus (1995–96 – Champions, 1996–97 – Runners-up, 1997–98 – Runners-up, 1998–99 – Semi-finals, 2002–03 – Runners-up, 2004–05- Quarter-finals, 2005–06 – Quarter-finals)
 * Internazionale (1998–99 – Quarter-finals, 2002–03 – Semi-finals, 2004–05 - Quarter-finals, 2005–06 – Quarter-finals, 2009–10 – Champions, 2011–12 - Round of 16)
 * Lazio (1999–2000 – Quarter-finals)
 * Roma ( European Cup 1983-1984 Runners up -2006–07 – Quarter-finals, 2007–08 – Quarter-finals)
 * Cagliari (1970–71 – Quarter-finals)
 * Fiorentina (1956–57 – Runners-up)
 * Napoli (2011–12 – Round of 16)


 * Carlo Chiesa, La grande storia del calcio italiano, published in installments on Il Guerin Sportivo, April 2012-...