Teams Germany
Italy Most wins Italy (15)
Germany (8) | Meetings total 35 | |
 | ||
First meeting Italy 3–1 Germany
(1 January 1923) Latest meeting Italy 0–0 Germany
(15 November 2016) Largest victory 3 games (3 goal difference) | ||
The Germany–Italy football rivalry between the national football teams of Germany and Italy, the two most successful football nations in Europe and only behind Brazil internationally, is a long-running one. Overall, the two teams have won eight FIFA World Cup championships (four each) and made a total of fourteen appearances in the final of the tournament (eight for Germany and six for Italy) – more than all the other European nations combined. They have played against each other five times in the World Cup, and many of these matches have been notable in the history of the tournament. The "Game of the Century", a 1970 semifinal between the two countries that Italy won 4–3 in extra time, was so dramatic that it is commemorated by a plaque at the entrance of the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.
Contents
- List of matches
- Comparison of Germanys and Italys positions in major international tournaments
- 1970 World Cup
- 1982 World Cup
- Euro 1996
- 2006 World Cup
- Euro 2012
- Euro 2016
- Penalty shoot out
- Overall
- References
Germany has also won three European Championships while Italy has won it once. The two countries have faced each other four times in the European championship, with three draws (one German penalty shoot-out victory) and one Italian victory.
While Germany has won more international championships, Italy is largely dominant in the head-to-head international match-up, having beaten Germany 15 times in 34 games, with 11 draws and 8 defeats. Moreover, Germany had never defeated Italy in a major tournament match until the Euro 2016 quarter finals, with all Germany's other wins over Italy being in friendly competitions. However, the draw between the two teams in the group stage of Euro 1996 eliminated Italy from the tournament, while Germany had already qualified for the knockout stage.
There were also four matches played between Italy and East Germany which resulted 1 win for each country and 2 draws.
The two countries played against each other once in the Summer Olympics. In the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, West Germany defeated Italy 3–0 in the bronze medal match.
Also unique in world football rivalries, each national team has won a World Cup while hosting it, as well as when the other country has hosted the tournament.
Germany scored their first victory over Italy in 21 years at the Allianz Arena in Munich on 29 March 2016, winning 4–1, the previous victory being on 21 June 1995, where Germany won 2–0.
On 2 July 2016, Germany won their first competitive match in a major tournament against Italy at the Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux in Bordeaux during the quarter finals of Euro 2016, winning 6–5 in a penalty shoot-out after it ended 1–1 in extra time.
List of matches
(a) Italy wins semi-final 4–3 in extra time
(b) Italy wins semi-final 2–0 in extra time and later wins the 2006 World Cup
(c) Germany wins quarter-final 6–5 in penalty shoot-out
Comparison of Germany's and Italy's positions in major international tournaments
Denotes which team finished better in that particular competition
FTQ – Failed to qualify
DNP – Did not participate
1970 World Cup
Italy led for the majority of the semi-final match, after Roberto Boninsegna scored in the 8th minute. Germany's Franz Beckenbauer dislocated his shoulder after being fouled, but stayed on the field carrying his dislocated arm in a sling, as his side had already used their two permitted substitutions.
Defender Karl-Heinz Schnellinger equalized for West Germany during injury time at the end of the second half. German television commentator Ernst Huberty exclaimed "Schnellinger, of all people!", since Schnellinger played in Italy's professional football league, Serie A, at A.C. Milan (for whom he rarely scored) and previously for A.S. Roma and A.C. Mantova. It was also his first and only goal in 47 matches for the national team. The second half ended with the scores deadlocked at 1–1, and at this point the match became a battle of endurance during the two periods of extra time.
Gerd Müller put Germany ahead in the 94th minute, but Tarcisio Burgnich tied it back up four minutes later and Luigi Riva put the Italians back in front. Gerd Müller scored again for West Germany to tie up the score at 3–3. Yet, as television cameras were still replaying Müller's goal, Italy's Gianni Rivera scored the game-winning goal in the 111th minute. Being left unmarked near the penalty area, Rivera connected a fine cross made by Boninsegna, clinching the victory for Italy at 4–3.
1982 World Cup
On 11 July, after a scoreless first half during which Antonio Cabrini fired a penalty low and wide to the right of goal, Paolo Rossi scored first, heading home a bouncing Claudio Gentile cross from the right from close range. Marco Tardelli then scored from the edge of the area with a low left footed shot before Alessandro Altobelli, at the end of a counterattack by winger Bruno Conti, made it 3–0 with another low left footed shot. Paul Breitner scored for Germany in the 83rd minute, firing low past the goalkeeper from the right, but Italy held on to claim their first World Cup title in 44 years, and their third in total with a 3–1 victory.
Euro 1996
The two teams were matched up in the final game of the group stage of UEFA Euro 1996. Germany was already guaranteed progress to the next stage while Italy was faced with a must-win situation. Gianfranco Zola had a penalty saved by Andreas Köpke in the 9th minute and Thomas Strunz was sent off in the 59th minute. Despite the man advantage and the lion's share of possession, Italy failed to score due to the heroic display of Köpke. The goalless draw resulted in Italy being eliminated from the tournament.
2006 World Cup
This was the semi-final match played in Westfalenstadion, Dortmund, in front of a crowd of 65,000 on 4 July 2006. Until then, the Westfalenstadion had been a fortress-like stadium for the German national team, as Germany had never lost there in 14 matches. During an eventful match, this record was broken when two late goals in the closing half of extra-time scored by Fabio Grosso and Alessandro Del Piero saw Italy advance to the final. Italy went on to win the World Cup for a fourth time.
German midfielder Torsten Frings was suspended for this semi-final match against Italy after footage was released by the media of him throwing a punch at Argentinian player Julio Cruz in Germany's quarter-final match up with Argentina after a brawl broke out; his suspension for the semi-final was announced by FIFA one day before the semi-final match was to be played.
Euro 2012
Italy met Germany again in the semi-final match of Euro 2012 in the evening of 28 June 2012 at National Stadium in Warsaw. Prior to this match, Germany had set a world football record with 15 consecutive wins in competitive matches, which included all matches of Euro 2012 up to that point and the qualifiers. However, also this record was to be broken by Italy on that day.
In the 20th minute, Italian striker Mario Balotelli scored the first goal for Italy, in the left corner of the net, heading past German goalkeeper Manuel Neuer after receiving a cross from Antonio Cassano, then in the 36th minute, Balotelli scored again for Italy, this time blasted into the top right corner on a one-on-one with Neuer, assisted by a Riccardo Montolivo lob over the German defence, giving them a two-goal lead. In the second half, the Germans attacked, trying to even the score. Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon made several impressive saves to many German shots. Two minutes into added time, Italian defender Federico Balzaretti committed a handball inside the penalty box. The resulting penalty was successfully converted by the German midfielder Mesut Özil.
Thus, the final score was 2–1 to Italy, who went on to the finals against defending champions Spain. As in their previous encounter in the 2006 World Cup semifinal match, Andrea Pirlo was again elected the man of the match.
Euro 2016
On 2 July 2016, Germany and Italy met at the Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux in Bordeaux during the quarter finals of the UEFA Euro 2016 where the match ended 1–1 after extra time and 6–5 in favour of Germany after a resulting penalty shoot-out for their first ever competitive match victory over Italy.
Mesut Özil scored in the 65th minute to give Germany the lead. In the 78th minute Leonardo Bonucci scored from the penalty spot after Jérôme Boateng was fouled for a handball in the box. After a goalless extra time period, with the two sides still locked at one goal each, a penalty shoot-out resulted 6–5 in favour of Germany.
Manuel Neuer (Germany) and Gianluigi Buffon (Italy), the goalkeeper-captains of their respective teams for the quarter-final (although Neuer handed the skipper's armband when Bastian Schweinsteiger was substituted in), were the last goalkeepers who had not conceded a goal in the tournament until this match. Regarded as the best keepers in the world, they received praise for their performances in the quarter final.
Penalty shoot-out
Overall
Includes matches against former West Germany
Draws include penalty shoot-outs