Italy–Spain football rivalry
LocationSouthern Europe
Teams Italy
 Spain
First meetingSpain 2–0 Italy
1920 Summer Olympics
(2 September 1920)
Latest meetingSpain 2–1 Italy
UEFA Nations League
(15 June 2023)
Next meetingSpain v Italy
Euro 2024
(20 June 2024)
Statistics
Meetings total41
Most winsSpain (13)
All-time seriesItaly: 11
Draw: 16
Spain: 13
Largest victoryItaly 7–1 Spain
1928 Summer Olympics
(4 June 1928)
Largest goal scoringItaly 7–1 Spain
1928 Summer Olympics
(4 June 1928)
Italy–Spain football rivalry is located in Europe
Italy
Italy
Spain
Spain

The Italy–Spain football rivalry (Italian: Rivalità calcistica Italia-Spagna; Spanish: Rivalidad futbolística Italia-España) sometimes referred to as the Mediterranean derby,[1] is a football rivalry between the national football teams of Italy and Spain,[2] the two countries have won five FIFA World Cups and five UEFA European Championship between them. Italy has won four FIFA World Cups and two UEFA European Championships while Spain have won one FIFA World Cups and three UEFA European Championships. They have played against each other three times in the World Cup and six times in the European Championship, including each of the previous four Euros from 2008 to 2020 editions. Most notably, the two met at the UEFA Euro 2012 Final, which Spain won . They also met at the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup and the UEFA Nations League semi-finals in both 2021 and 2023.

Spain has won 13, and Italy 11, of the 40 matches between them (including four at the Summer Olympic Games in the 1920s).[3] Although the two nations are not immediate geographical neighbours, their rivalry at international level is enhanced by the strong performances of the representative clubs in UEFA competitions, in which they are among the leading associations and have each enjoyed spells of dominance. Including the defunct UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, twelve continental finals have been contested between an Italian and a Spanish representative (Spain dominate this with eight victories).[4][5] The frequent meetings between the clubs have led to the elite players becoming very familiar with one another when they meet at national level. The two nations' under-21 teams, which are also among the strongest in the world, are also acknowledged as rivals.[1]

List of matches

Number Date Location Competition Results
12 September 1920Belgium Antwerp1920 Summer OlympicsSpain 2–0 Italy
29 March 1924Italy MilanFriendlyItaly 0–0 Spain
325 May 1924France Colombes1924 Summer OlympicsItaly 1–0 Spain
414 June 1925Spain ValenciaFriendlySpain 1–0 Italy
529 May 1927Italy BolognaItaly 2–0 Spain
622 April 1928Spain GijónSpain 1–1 Italy
71 June 1928Netherlands Amsterdam1928 Summer OlympicsItaly 1–1 Spain [lower-alpha 1]
84 June 1928Italy 7–1 Spain [lower-alpha 2]
922 June 1930Italy BolognaFriendlyItaly 2–3 Spain
1019 April 1931Spain BilbaoSpain 0–0 Italy
1131 May 1934Italy Florence1934 World CupItaly 1–1 Spain [lower-alpha 3]
121 June 1934Italy 1–0 Spain [lower-alpha 4]
1319 April 1942Italy MilanFriendlyItaly 4–0 Spain
1427 March 1949Spain MadridSpain 1–3 Italy
1528 February 1959Italy RomeItaly 1–1 Spain
1613 March 1960Spain BarcelonaSpain 3–1 Italy
1721 February 1970Spain MadridSpain 2–2 Italy
1820 February 1971Italy CagliariItaly 1–2 Spain
1925 January 1978Spain MadridSpain 2–1 Italy
2021 December 1978Italy RomeItaly 1–0 Spain
2112 June 1980Italy MilanEuro 1980Italy 0–0 Spain
2214 June 1988West Germany FrankfurtEuro 1988Italy 1–0 Spain
239 July 1994United States Foxborough1994 World CupItaly 2-1 Spain
2418 November 1998Italy SalernoFriendlyItaly 2–2 Spain
2529 March 2000Spain BarcelonaSpain 2–0 Italy
2628 April 2004Italy GenoaItaly 1–1 Spain
2726 March 2008Spain ElcheSpain 1–0 Italy
2822 June 2008Austria ViennaEuro 2008Spain 0–0 Italy [lower-alpha 5]
2910 August 2011Italy BariFriendlyItaly 2–1 Spain
3010 June 2012Poland GdańskEuro 2012Spain 1–1 Italy
311 July 2012Ukraine KyivSpain 4–0 Italy
3227 June 2013Brazil Fortaleza2013 Confederations CupSpain 0–0 Italy [lower-alpha 6]
335 March 2014Spain MadridFriendlySpain 1–0 Italy
3424 March 2016Italy UdineItaly 1–1 Spain
3527 June 2016France Saint-DenisEuro 2016Italy 2–0 Spain
366 October 2016Italy Turin2018 World Cup qualificationItaly 1–1 Spain
372 September 2017Spain MadridSpain 3–0 Italy
386 July 2021England LondonEuro 2020Italy 1–1 Spain [lower-alpha 7]
396 October 2021Italy Milan2021 Nations League finalsItaly 1–2 Spain
4015 June 2023Netherlands Enschede2023 Nations League finalsSpain 2–1 Italy
4120 June 2024Germany GelsenkirchenEuro 2024Spain v Italy
  1. ↑ The quarter-final match ended in a draw after extra time.
  2. ↑ The quarter-final was replayed after ending in a draw; Italy won the replay and advanced.
  3. ↑ The quarter-final match ended in a draw after extra time.
  4. ↑ The quarter-final was replayed the next day after ending in a draw; Italy won the replay and advanced.
  5. ↑ Spain won 4–2 on penalties after extra time.
  6. ↑ Spain won 7–6 on penalties after extra time.
  7. ↑ Italy won 4–2 on penalties after extra time.

Comparison of Italy's and Spain's positions in major international tournaments

Key

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

Tournament  Italy  Spain Notes
1930 FIFA World Cup DNP DNP
1934 FIFA World Cup 1st 5th Italy and Spain faced off in the quarter-final match which ended 1–1 and was replayed the following day where Italy won 1–0. Tournament played in Italy.
1938 FIFA World Cup 1st DNP
1950 FIFA World Cup 7th 4th
1954 FIFA World Cup 10th DNP
1958 FIFA World Cup DNQ
1960 European Nations' Cup DNP
1962 FIFA World Cup 9th 13th
1964 European Nations' Cup DNQ 1st Tournament played in Spain.
1966 FIFA World Cup 9th 10th
UEFA Euro 1968 1st DNQ Tournament played in Italy.
1970 FIFA World Cup 2nd
UEFA Euro 1972 DNQ
1974 FIFA World Cup 10th
UEFA Euro 1976 DNQ
1978 FIFA World Cup 4th 10th
UEFA Euro 1980 7th Tournament played in Italy.
1982 FIFA World Cup 1st 12th Tournament played in Spain.
UEFA Euro 1984 DNQ 2nd
1986 FIFA World Cup 12th 7th
UEFA Euro 1988 4th 6th Italy beat Spain 1–0 in their group stage match up; Spain did not advance from the group, while Italy did.
1990 FIFA World Cup 3rd 10th Tournament played in Italy.
UEFA Euro 1992 DNQ
1994 FIFA World Cup 2nd 8th Italy beat Spain 2–1 in the quarter-finals, eliminating them from the tournament.
UEFA Euro 1996 10th 6th
1998 FIFA World Cup 5th 17th
UEFA Euro 2000 2nd 5th
2002 FIFA World Cup 15th 5th
UEFA Euro 2004 9th 10th
2006 FIFA World Cup 1st 9th
UEFA Euro 2008 8th 1st In the quarter-finals, Italy and Spain were matched up in a goalless draw after 120 minutes in which Spain won 4–2 on penalties, eliminating Italy from the tournament.
2010 FIFA World Cup 26th
UEFA Euro 2012 2nd Italy and Spain were matched up in the group stage, which ended 1–1 and later faced off in the final, in which Spain defeated Italy 4–0.
2014 FIFA World Cup 22nd 23rd
UEFA Euro 2016 5th 10th In the round of 16, Italy defeated Spain 2–0, eliminating them from the tournament.
2018 FIFA World Cup DNQ 10th
UEFA Euro 2020 1st 3rd In the semi-finals, Italy eliminated Spain 4–2 on penalties. Some games of the tournament were played in Italy and Spain.
2022 FIFA World Cup DNQ 13th
UEFA Euro 2024 TBD TBD Italy will face Spain in the second round of group play, with both teams placed in Group B.

Major encounters

1934 FIFA World Cup

On 31 May, Italy faced Spain in the quarter-final of the 1934 FIFA World Cup, where the two sides drew 1–1 after extra time with Spanish goal by Luis Regueiro in the 30th minute and Italian goal by Giovanni Ferrari in the 44th minute. They then faced off again in the replay match the following day to settle the team that advances; Italy won the replay 1–0 win the goal coming from Giuseppe Meazza in the 11th minute.[6] Italy went on to win their first World Cup title.

Italy 1–1 (a.e.t.) Spain
Ferrari 44' Report Regueiro 30'
Attendance: 35,000
Referee: Louis Baert (Belgium)
Replay
Italy 1–0 Spain
Meazza 11' Report
Attendance: 43,000

UEFA Euro 1988

On 14 June, Italy and Spain were matched up for the second match in the group stage, where Italy won 1–0 with the goal coming from Gianluca Vialli in the 73rd minute.[6] Italy went on to win their last group match, while Spain lost theirs; Italy made it out of the group, while Spain did not.

Italy 1–0 Spain
Vialli 73' Report
Attendance: 47,506

1994 FIFA World Cup

On 9 July, Italy won the quarter-final match up against Spain in the 1994 World Cup 2–1 quarter-final at Foxboro Stadium, with Italian Dino Baggio scoring first in the 25th minute, the Spaniards equalised with a goal from José Luis Caminero in the 58th minute, before Roberto Baggio sealed the Italian victory in the 88th minute.[6] A controversy in the match was Mauro Tassotti's elbow on Spanish player Luis Enrique,[7] but during the match the incident went unpunished – Tassotti was later banned for eight games.[8]

Italy 2–1 Spain
D. Baggio 25'
R. Baggio 88'		 Report Caminero 58'
Attendance: 53,400

UEFA Euro 2008

On 22 June, Italy and Spain were matched up for a quarter-final in Euro 2008; the game ended a goalless draw after 120 minutes and resulted in a penalty shoot-out which Spain won 4–2.[6] Spain went on to win the European Championship for the second time.

Spain 0–0 (a.e.t.) Italy
Report
Penalties
 4–2
Attendance: 48,000[9]

UEFA Euro 2012

On 1 July, Spain and Italy were matched up for the final of Euro 2012. The sides had already met in the group stage, drawing 1–1. Spain took the lead in the 14th minute, though, when Andrés Iniesta played a through-ball to Cesc Fàbregas, who drove past Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini to the by-line before pulling back a cross for David Silva to head into the net from six yards.[10] Chiellini was clearly struggling with a thigh injury he had picked up in the earlier rounds, and he was replaced by Federico Balzaretti after 20 minutes.[10] Italy responded with a couple of shots from Antonio Cassano that were saved by Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas,[10] but Spain doubled their lead before half-time when Xavi picked out left-back Jordi Alba, who capped a long forward run with a precise finish past Gianluigi Buffon in the Italy goal.[10]

Antonio Di Natale came on for Cassano at half-time and twice went close to scoring, the second effort forcing a save from the onrushing Casillas.[10] Italy's final substitution saw Thiago Motta replace Riccardo Montolivo, but he soon suffered a hamstring injury; with all of their substitutes used, Italy had to play the last 30 minutes of the match with ten men.[10] Fernando Torres replaced Fàbregas with 15 minutes left to play, and scored in the 84th minute – assisted by Xavi – to become the first man to score in two European Championship finals.[11] Torres then turned provider four minutes later, cutting the ball back with the outside of his boot for fellow substitute and Chelsea forward Juan Mata to sweep into an empty net for a final score of 4–0,[10] the widest margin of victory in any European Championship final. Spain became the first team to retain the European Championship title and also the first European team to win three major international competitions in a row.

Group stage
Spain 1–1 Italy
 Report
Attendance: 38,869[12]
Final
Spain 4–0 Italy
 Report
Attendance: 63,170[13]

UEFA Euro 2016

On 27 June, Italy and Spain matched up for the round of 16 in the Euro 2016, in a rematch of the previous tournament's final. Italy won 2–0 with goals from Giorgio Chiellini in the 33rd minute and Graziano Pellè in stoppage time of the second half. Spanish goalkeeper David de Gea made several impressive saves to keep Spain in the match, notably on Pellè's first-half header attempt, however, it ultimately ended in defeat, eliminating the defending European champions Spain.[14][15]

Italy 2–0 Spain
 Report
Attendance: 76,165[16]

UEFA Euro 2020

On 6 July 2021, Italy and Spain faced each other in the semi-finals of the Euro 2020 (held in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic) at Wembley Stadium in London, marking the fourth consecutive European Championship that the sides meet. Italy and Spain, could not break the deadlock after 120 minutes, and Italy won 4–2 in the resulting penalty shoot-out en route to their first European title in 53 years.

Statistics

Overall

As of 15 June 2023
Matches Wins Draws Goals
Italy Spain Italy Spain
FIFA World Cup 320142
FIFA World Cup qualifiers 201114
UEFA European Championship 8214[lower-alpha 1][lower-alpha 2]56
UEFA Nations League 202024
FIFA Confederations Cup 1001[lower-alpha 3]00
Summer Olympics 421194
All competitions 206582120
Friendly 215882525
All matches 411113164645
  1. ↑ Spain defeated Italy in the Euro 2008 quarter-finals 4–2 on penalties after a 0–0 draw in 120 minutes.
  2. ↑ Italy defeated Spain in the Euro 2020 semi-finals 4–2 on penalties after a 1–1 draw in 120 minutes.
  3. ↑ Spain defeated Italy in the 2013 Confederations Cup semi-finals 7–6 on penalties after a 0–0 draw in 120 minutes.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "El derbi mediterráneo: historia de una rivalidad entre las dos mejores selecciones Sub-21" [The Mediterranean derby: history of a rivalry between the two best Under-21 teams]. Sefutbol.com (in Spanish). Royal Spanish Football Federation. 26 June 2017. Archived from the original on 11 October 2018. Retrieved 11 October 2018.
  2. ↑ "Spain renews its rivalry with Italy". TSN.ca. 25 June 2016. Archived from the original on 4 July 2016. Retrieved 7 July 2016.
  3. ↑ "Spain national football team: record v Italy". 11v11.com. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
  4. ↑ "Spain v Italy: UEFA Champions League finals". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 28 May 2015. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
  5. ↑ "Cambiasso: Juventus only Italian club that lose to the Spanish". Forza Italian Football. 23 June 2017. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Richard Martin (25 June 2016). "Italy v Spain: five unforgettable meetings". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. Retrieved 7 July 2016.
  7. ↑ "Luis Enrique full of respect". BBC Sport. 20 June 2002. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
  8. ↑ Date set for Hendry decision; BBC Sport, 3 April 2001
  9. ↑ "Full-time report Spain-Italy" (PDF). UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 22 June 2008. Retrieved 11 June 2012.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 McNulty, Phil (1 July 2012). "Spain 4–0 Italy". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 26 August 2012.
  11. ↑ Rostance, Tom; Dawkes, Phil (2 July 2012). "Euro 2012 final: as it happened". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 4 July 2012.
  12. ↑ "Full-time report Spain-Italy" (PDF). UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 10 June 2012. Retrieved 10 June 2012.
  13. ↑ "Full-time report Spain–Italy" (PDF). UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 1 July 2012. Retrieved 1 July 2012.
  14. ↑ Jim Foulerton (27 June 2016). "Dominant Italy brush aside champions Spain". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. Retrieved 7 July 2016.
  15. ↑ "David De Gea's save in Spain vs. Italy was a 'miracle' - Graziano Pelle". ESPNFC.com. 28 June 2016. Retrieved 7 July 2016.
  16. ↑ "Full Time Summary – Italy v Spain" (PDF). UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 27 June 2016. Retrieved 27 June 2016.
  17. ↑ "Full Time Summary – Italy v Spain" (PDF). UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 6 July 2021. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
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