None of the remaining teams at UEFA EURO 2020 have been in the last four more than Italy – we look back at their four bands.
Italy have reached the semi-finals of a EURO four times in their history – the same number as the last four opponents Spain – and the results have generally been favorable. We pore over the previous meetings.
1968: Italy 0-0 Soviet Union (Italy won on coin toss)
Piero Prati went closest to the Azzurri in normal time and Angelo Domenghini hit a post in extra time, while Dino Zoff saved from Albert Shesternyov and twice from Aleksandr Lenev in Naples. There were no penalty shots then so a place in the final came down to a coin toss. “The referee pulled out an old coin and I called tails,” said Captain Giacinto Facchetti. “I competed upstairs because the arena was still full and about 70,000 fans were waiting to hear the result. My parties told them they could celebrate.” They rejoiced after winning the final as well, in a rematch against Yugoslavia in Rome.
1988: Soviet Union 2-0 Italy
The Soviet Union was left between the Azzurri and the final in Stuttgart but this would be their only semi-final setback. Oleh Kuznetsov and Oleksiy Mykhaylychenko combined to set up Gennadiy Lytovchenko for the 58-minute opener and Oleh Protasov converted Oleksandr Zavarov’s cut for the second four minutes later. A 23-year-old Gianluca Vialli almost went to bring back Azeglio Vicini’s men but this tournament turned out to be a step too far for a youthful Italian side.
2000: Italy 0-0 Netherlands (pens: 3-1)
The Azzurri had won all four matches in the final on their way to Amsterdam but the Dutch proved to be a much tougher test. Frank de Boer and Patrick Kluivert missed space kicks in normal time as the Oranje failed to break down an Italian team reduced to ten men after 34 minutes of dismissal by Gianluca Zambrotta. De Boer was also denied when the game went to penalty, where Francesco Toldo saved for the second time in the shot from Paul Bosvelt to seal a place in the final. However, France would burst the Italian bubble.
2012: Germany 1-2 Italy
An Iconic Pose / GABRIEL BOUYS / Getty Images
The only of the three Azzurri semi-final successes to be decided within 90 minutes took place in Warsaw and was dominated by Mario Balotelli. The Italian striker steered in a header from Antonio Cassano’s cross as Italy broke their semi-final score on the fourth time he asked, then ripped past Manuel Neuer for 36 seconds. Germany, who drove on 15 victories in a row in competitive games, responded through Mesut Özil’s late penalty. Unfortunately for Cesare Prandelli’s men, they encountered a Spanish steamroller in the final and suffered a 4-0 back in Kiev.
