Germany–Italy football rivalry

Germany–Italy football rivalry

Commemorative plaque at Estadio Azteca (Mexico City) for the Game of the Century
Location	Europe (UEFA)
Teams	Germany  Italy
First meeting	Italy 3–1 Germany Friendly (1 January 1923)
Latest meeting	Germany 5–2 Italy UEFA Nations League (14 June 2022)
Statistics
Meetings total	37
Most wins	Italy (15)
All-time series	Italy: 15 Draw: 13 Germany: 9
Largest victory	Germany 5–2 Italy (26 November 1939) Italy 4–1 Germany (1 March 2006) Germany 4–1 Italy (29 March 2016) Germany 5–2 Italy (14 June 2022)
Largest goal scoring	Germany 5–2 Italy (26 November 1939) Italy 4–3 (a.e.t.) West Germany (17 June 1970) Germany 5–2 Italy (14 June 2022)
Germany Italy

The Germany–Italy football rivalry (German: Deutsch-italienische Fußballrivalität; Italian: Rivalità calcistica Germania-Italia) between the national football teams of Germany and Italy,^{[1][2][3][4][5]} the two most successful football nations in Europe, is a long-running one. Overall, the two teams have won eight FIFA World Cup championships (four each, including one win on each other's home soil) and made a total of 14 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, (Italy having won 3 games, tied two, and never lost) and many of these matches have been notable in the history of the tournament. The "Game of the Century", the 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. Germany has also won three European Championships while Italy has won it twice. The two countries have faced each other four times in the European championship, with one Italian victory and three draws (one German penalty shoot-out success).

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 37 games, with 13 draws and 9 defeats.^[6] Moreover, Germany has never won against Italy in the two World Cup or European Championships, with all Germany's wins over Italy being in minor tournaments or friendly competitions—however, Germany had overcome Italy on penalties following a draw after extra time in the quarter-finals of Euro 2016.^[7] There were also four matches played between Italy and East Germany which resulted 1 win for each country and 2 draws.

List of matches

Number	Date	Location	Competition	Game	Results
1	1 January 1923	Milan	Friendly	Italy – Germany	3–1
2	23 November 1924	Duisburg		Germany – Italy	0–1
3	28 April 1929	Turin		Italy – Germany	1–2
4	2 March 1930	Frankfurt		Germany – Italy	0–2
5	1 January 1933	Bologna		Italy – Germany	3–1
6	15 November 1936	Berlin		Germany – Italy	2–2
7	26 March 1939	Florence		Italy – Germany	3–2
8	26 November 1939	Berlin		Germany – Italy	5–2
9	5 May 1940	Milan		Italy – Germany	3–2
10	30 March 1955	Stuttgart		Germany – Italy	1–2
11	18 December 1955	Rome		Italy – Germany	2–1
12	31 May 1962	Santiago	1962 World Cup	Italy – Germany	0–0
13	13 March 1965	Hamburg	Friendly	Germany – Italy	1–1
14	17 June 1970	Mexico City	1970 World Cup	Italy – Germany	4–3 (a.e.t.)
15	26 February 1974	Rome	Friendly	Italy – Germany	0–0
16	8 October 1977	Berlin		Germany – Italy	2–1
17	14 June 1978	Buenos Aires	1978 World Cup	Italy – Germany	0–0
18	11 July 1982	Madrid	1982 World Cup	Italy – Germany	3–1
19	22 May 1984	Zürich	Friendly	Germany – Italy	1–0
20	5 February 1986	Avellino		Italy – Germany	1–2
21	18 April 1987	Köln		Germany – Italy	0–0
22	10 June 1988	Düsseldorf	Euro 1988		1–1
23	25 March 1992	Turin	Friendly	Italy – Germany	1–0
24	23 March 1994	Stuttgart		Germany – Italy	2–1
25	21 June 1995	Zürich		Germany – Italy	2–0
26	19 June 1996	Manchester	Euro 1996	Germany – Italy	0–0
27	20 August 2003	Stuttgart	Friendly	Germany – Italy	0–1
28	1 March 2006	Florence		Italy – Germany	4–1
29	4 July 2006	Dortmund	2006 World Cup	Germany – Italy	0–2 (a.e.t.)
30	9 February 2011	Dortmund	Friendly	Germany – Italy	1–1
31	28 June 2012	Warsaw	Euro 2012	Germany – Italy	1–2
32	15 November 2013	Milan	Friendly	Italy – Germany	1–1
33	29 March 2016	Munich		Germany – Italy	4–1
34	2 July 2016	Bordeaux	Euro 2016	Germany – Italy	1–1 (a.e.t.) (6–5 p)
35	15 November 2016	Milan	Friendly	Italy – Germany	0–0
36	4 June 2022	Bologna	2022–23 Nations League	Italy – Germany	1–1
37	14 June 2022	Mönchengladbach		Germany – Italy	5–2

Comparison in major tournaments

Key

  Denotes which team finished better in that particular competition.
DNQ: Did not qualify.
DNP: Did not participate.
TBD: To be determined.

Tournament	Germany	Italy	Notes
1930 World Cup	DNP	DNP
1934 World Cup	3rd	1st	Tournament hosted by Italy.
1938 World Cup	10th	1st
1950 World Cup	DNP	7th	Germany not a member of FIFA.
1954 World Cup	1st	10th
1958 World Cup	4th	DNQ
Euro 1960	DNP	DNP
1962 World Cup	7th	9th	In the group stage, the match ended 0–0.
Euro 1964	DNP	DNQ
1966 World Cup	2nd	9th
Euro 1968	DNQ	1st	Tournament hosted by Italy.
1970 World Cup	3rd	2nd	In the semifinals, Italy defeated Germany 4–3 after extra time.
Euro 1972	1st	DNQ
1974 World Cup	1st	10th	Tournament hosted by West Germany.
Euro 1976	2nd	DNQ
1978 World Cup	6th	4th	In the second round, the match ended 0–0.
Euro 1980	1st	4th	Tournament hosted by Italy.
1982 World Cup	2nd	1st	In the final, Italy defeated Germany 3–1.
Euro 1984	5th	DNQ
1986 World Cup	2nd	12th
Euro 1988	3rd	4th	Tournament hosted by West Germany. In the group stage, the match ended 1–1.
1990 World Cup	1st	3rd	Tournament hosted by Italy.
Euro 1992	2nd	DNQ
1994 World Cup	5th	2nd
Euro 1996	1st	10th	In the group stage, the match ended 0–0.
1998 World Cup	7th	5th
Euro 2000	15th	2nd
2002 World Cup	2nd	15th
Euro 2004	12th	9th
2006 World Cup	3rd	1st	Tournament hosted by Germany. In the semifinals, Italy defeated Germany 2–0 after extra time.
Euro 2008	2nd	8th
2010 World Cup	3rd	26th
Euro 2012	3rd	2nd	In the semifinals, Italy defeated Germany 2–1.
2014 World Cup	1st	22nd
Euro 2016	3rd	5th	In the quarter-finals, Germany eliminated Italy 6–5 on penalties after the match ended 1–1.
2018 World Cup	22nd	DNQ
Euro 2020	15th	1st	Tournament hosted by multiple countries; Germany and Italy hosted some matches. Tournament postponed to 2021 due to Coronavirus Pandemic.
2022 World Cup	17th	DNQ
Euro 2024	TBD	TBD	Tournament hosted by Germany.
2026 World Cup	TBD	TBD

Major encounters

1962 World Cup

This game was the first match ever played in a World Cup between Germany and Italy, and saw few scoring chances for both sides. In the first half Uwe Seeler hit the bar, Albert Brülls and Omar Sívori also had their chances. In the second half the game became more physical and sometimes brutal but in the end defences overcame attacks and no goals were scored.^[8]

31 May 1962

15:00 CLT

West Germany	0–0	Italy
	Report

Estadio Nacional, Santiago

Attendance: 65,440

Referee: Robert Holley Davidson (Scotland)

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^[9] 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.^[10]

17 June 1970

16:00 CST

Italy	4–3 (a.e.t.)	West Germany
Boninsegna 8' Burgnich 98' Riva 104' Rivera 111'	Report	Schnellinger 90' Müller 94', 110'

Estadio Azteca, Mexico City

Attendance: 102,444

Referee: Arturo Yamasaki Maldonado (Mexico)

1978 World Cup

This match was played in the first matchday of Group A of the 1978 FIFA World Cup, a round robin played between the winners and the runners-up of the groups of the first phase; the game ended in a scoreless draw. At the end of the second phase Italy managed to reach the third place play-off against Brazil, while Germany were eliminated as third in the group.

14 June 1978

13:45 ART

Italy	0–0	West Germany
	Report

Estadio Monumental, Buenos Aires

Attendance: 67,547

Referee: Dušan Maksimović (Yugoslavia)

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.^[11]

11 July 1982

20:00 CEST

Italy	3–1	West Germany
Rossi 57' Tardelli 69' Altobelli 81'	Report	Breitner 83'

Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid

Attendance: 90,000

Referee: Arnaldo Cézar Coelho (Brazil)

Euro 1988

Both the sides faced-off in the opening match of Euro 1988 in group stage held in West Germany. The first half ended without any goals. Within 10 minutes of the second half Roberto Mancini gave the Italian side the lead by scoring at the 52nd minute, however the lead was short lived as Andreas Brehme scored the equalizer for West Germany at the 55th minute. The game ended in a draw with one goal for each side.^[12]

10 June 1988 (1988-06-10)

20:15 CEST

West Germany	1–1	Italy
Brehme 55'	Report	Mancini 52'

Rheinstadion, Düsseldorf

Attendance: 62,552

Referee: Keith Hackett (England)

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 unless Italy and Czech Republic both won their matches while Italy was faced with a must-win situation if the Czech Republic did not lose to Russia. 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 as the Czech Republic drew with Russia.^[13]

19 June 1996 (1996-06-19)

19:30 BST

Italy	0–0	Germany
	Report

Old Trafford, Manchester

Attendance: 53,740

Referee: Guy Goethals (Belgium)

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 Germany 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 match after the media released footage of him throwing a punch at Argentinian player Julio Cruz after a brawl broke out in Germany's quarter-final against Argentina; FIFA announced his suspension one day before the semi-final match.^[14]

4 July 2006

21:00 CEST

Germany	0–2 (a.e.t.)	Italy
	Report	Grosso 119' Del Piero 120+1'

FIFA WM Stadion Dortmund, Dortmund

Attendance: 65,000

Referee: Benito Archundia (Mexico)

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 began with the third place playoff against Uruguay at the 2010 World Cup and ended with the 4-2 victory over Greece in the Euro 2012 quarterfinals. However, 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.

28 June 2012 (2012-06-28)

20:45 CEST

Germany	1–2	Italy
Özil 90+2' (pen.)	Report	Balotelli 20', 36'

National Stadium, Warsaw

Attendance: 55,540^[15]

Referee: Stéphane Lannoy (France)

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 in a 1–1 draw after extra time, with Germany advancing 6–5 after a penalty shoot-out—statistically a draw, it was the first time ever Germany had overcome Italy in a competitive tie.^[16][7]

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. They received praise for their performances in the quarter-final.^[17]

2 July 2016 (2016-07-02)

21:00 CEST

Germany	1–1 (a.e.t.)	Italy
Özil 65'	Report	Bonucci 78' (pen.)
Penalties
Kroos Müller Özil Draxler Schweinsteiger Hummels Kimmich Boateng Hector	6–5	Insigne Zaza Barzagli Pellè Bonucci Giaccherini Parolo De Sciglio Darmian

Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux

Attendance: 38,764^[18]

Referee: Viktor Kassai (Hungary)

Statistics

Overall

As of 14 June 2022^[19]

Note 1: * Germany overcame Italy in UEFA Euro 2016 quarter-final match via penalty shoot-out.

Note 2: Include matches involving former West Germany.

See also

• Football derbies in Italy
• German football rivalries
• Germany–Italy relations
• List of association football rivalries

References

External links

• List of matches between Italy and Germany at European Football national team matches
• Germany-Italy matches 1923-2016 at RSSSF