WORLD CUP WINNER - ITALY

Introduction:                                                                                

Operated by the Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio (FIGC), the Italian national soccer team stands for Italy in the international soccer tournaments.  Italy is the present soccer World Champions, as they have won the 2006 FIFA World Cup recently.  Italy is a four time World Cup winner (2006, 1982, 1938, and 1934) with just one shot less than the Brazil, making Italy the second most victorious national team.  Italy is also considered as one of the top teams in international soccer.  In addition with the World Cups, Italy had also acquired one Olympic Gold Medal in 1936, one European championship in 1968, and two Central European International Cups.  Light blue is the usual customary color of the Italian national team.  (Light blue in Italian means azzurro) hence, the World Cup Winner Italian national team players are called as Azzurris.

2006 World Cup: Champions for the Fourth Time:

The 2006 soccer World Cup hosted by Germany was escorted through an open doubt for the Italian national team, due to a controversy of the 2006 series.  In the finals against France in Berlin, on 9 July, after a 1-1 draw at the extreme of extra time the score was 5-3 on penalty count basis.  Just twelve minutes after the penalty goal kick by French captain Zinedine Zidane, a forceful header emerged from Italy’s Materazzi from a accurate positioned corner by Pirlo leveled the score for Italy.  The penalty encounter was successfully won by Italy with 5-3.  The Azzurris won the World Cup title the fourth time disproving all the projections made against them.