Page 59 - Soccer360 Issue 105

CHAMPIONS AGAIN
Italy finally broke out of the slump in 1968, at their first European Championship. After making their way through the qualifiers, Italy was chosen to host the final tournament. Their semi-final match with the Soviet
Union ended in a 0-0 draw, which saw Italy advance on a coin toss. The match against Yugoslavia in the finals also concluded in a draw, but Italy won the replay 2-0, claiming their first major trophy in 30 years.
The azzurri carried this good form to
the 1970 World Cup. Led by talented offensive players such as Gianni Rivera
and Luigi Riva, Italy made it all the way to the finals, where they were defeated by Brazil 1-4. Their most memorable match in the tournament was the semi-final against West Germany, which became known as the “Game of the Century.” Italy won the game 4-3, with 5 of 7 goals coming in extra time and Rivera scoring the late winner.
UNEXPECTED AZZURRI
The 1974 World Cup was far less successful for the Azzurri, as they bowed out in the group stage after a shock loss to Poland in the final round. They also failed to qualify
for either of the European Championships in 1972 and 1976, which caused a lot of murmur in the Italian press. Nonetheless, the future seemed bright thanks to the arrival of a talented new generation of Italian players led by star striker Paolo Rossi.
Their first opportunity to establish themselves came at the 1978 World Cup, where they won all three games in the group stage. Most notably, they were the only team to defeat hosts and eventual champions Argentina. However, a loss in
the second round against the Netherlands spelled the end to their title aspirations, with
goalkeeper Dino Zoff receiving most of the blame for getting beaten by a 30-yard shot.
SUCCESS AND SCANDALS
Two years later, Italy would host their second European Championship. This time around, the final tournament consisted
of eight teams, which were separated
into two groups. After winning the match against England and drawing against Spain and Belgium, Italy finished in second place and qualified for the third-place match. They then lost to Czechoslovakia in a high-scoring 9-8 penalty shootout, with Fulvio Collovati missing the decisive penalty.
The preparations for the 1982 World
Cup were plagued by the Totonero match- fixing scandal, which saw numerous players -- including Rossi -- get suspended from
the Italian league. However, Rossi returned to the national team just in time to take
part at the World Cup, which proved to be
a huge boost to the team’s fortunes. Still, their group stage matches left something
to be desired, as they advanced with three consecutive draws.
The Azzurri later imposed a press black-out, which seemed to improve the team’s spirits. In the second round, they won against Argentina (2-1) and Brazil (3-2), with Rossi scoring a hat-trick in the latter match. He followed that up with a brace in the semi- final match against Poland, leading Italy to the finals against West Germany. Winning the match 3-1, and claiming their third World Cup title. Unsurprisingly, Rossi won both the Golden Ball and the Golden Boot.
NEXT GENERATION
After failing to qualify for the Euro 1984, Italy entered the 1986 World Cup with lowered expectations. This pessimistic approach was
TOP RIGHT:
Gianni Rivera for Italy at the 1968 Euro
TOP LEFT:
Luigi Riva was a key part of Italy’s Euro 1968 victory
FAR RIGHT:
Roberto Baggio fully came into his own as one of the best players in the world
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