The Italy Men’s National Team – the Azzurri – are one of the most successful international sides in football history, having been crowned Men’s World Cup winners on four occasions. Naturally, the Mediterranean giants have been victorious in the European Championship as well.
It was back in 1960 when the first European Championship was contested, but only 17 nations participated in the process to qualify for the four-team tournament, and the Azzurri were not one of them. However, they managed to qualify for the first time in 1968 and earned the right to host the competition.
Since then, they have participated in another nine editions of the European Championship, but how many have they won?
Italy triumph in 1968
Italy hosted Euro ’68 in a tournament which still consisted of four teams, and the Italians faced Yugoslavia in the final. Dragan Dzajic, who was eventually voted Player of the Tournament, opened the scoring in the first half while Angelo Domenghini equalised for the Azzurri with a free-kick with 10 minutes left in regulation time.
Extra-time could not separate the two teams so a replay was played two days later, which the Italians won 2-0 thanks to goals from Gigi Riva and Pietro Anastasi.
Golden generations of France and Spain break Italian hearts
Italy came very close to winning their second European Championship in 2000, which was co-hosted by The Netherlands and Belgium, but they were thwarted by a great France side in the final. Marco Delvecchio opened the scoring 10 minutes into the second half, but Sylvain Wiltord equalised in injury time, and David Trezeguet scored in extra-time in the only final that was decided by a Golden Goal.
Poland and Ukraine hosted Euro 2012, and Italy reached the final by playing some expansive football, but they had to face a strong Spain team experiencing a golden age and they popularised their possession football known as tiki-taka. The Azzurri were no match for La Furia Roja, suffering a 4-0 defeat in Kyiv.
Mancini breaks Italy drought amidst COVID-19 pandemic
Euro 2020 was hosted over several countries across Europe, but it was postponed for a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Under Roberto Mancini, Italy played some enterprising football in the qualifiers and for most of the tournament, until an injury to left-back Leonardo Spinazzola in the quarter-finals proved to be a slight hinderance.
The Azzurri faced England at Wembley Stadium, London in the final, and Luke Shaw gave the Three Lions an early lead before Leonardo Bonucci equalised in the second half. Extra-time time could not separate the two sides, but the Italians emerged victorious after Gianluigi Donnarumma saved two penalties.
It was a poignant moment too. Mancini played at Euro ’88, when Italy reached semi-finals and he played alongside his Sampdoria teammate Gianluca Vialli in the Azzurri attack. More than 30 years later, the duo shared an embrace after the final, putting those ghosts to rest. Sadly, Vialli passed away in January 2023 after a battle with cancer.
How many European Championships have Italy won?
It might come as a surprise, but Italy have won just two European titles to date, equal with neighbours and bitter rivals France. That tally is one fewer than Germany and Spain, who have three victories each.
