Following the Republic of Ireland's win against Italy in Euro 2016, we wondered if there was anything interesting to be found in the history of Italian losses in international tournaments - FIFA World Cup, FIFA Confederations Cup and UEFA European Championship. Note that these results are over 90 minutes only, losses on penalties and losses in extra time (e.g. the 2-1 loss to France in 2000 European Championships) were not taken into account.
Only 17 teams hold tournament victories over the Azzuri - Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Czech Republic, Egypt, France, Ireland, Netherlands, North Korea, Poland, Slovakia, Soviet Union, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and Uruguay.
Of these, Netherlands, Soviet Union, Switzerland and now Ireland have beaten Italy twice in international competitions. Brazil have a record four tournament wins (Two World Cup, two Confederations Cup) victories over Italy.
Both of Switerland's wins have come in World Cup games. Only Netherlands, Soviet Union and Ireland have beaten Italy in both the World Cup and the European Championships.
Both of Ireland's wins have come in the group stages of tournaments (1994 and 2016), a record we share with Brazil's two group stage victories in the 2009 and 2013 Confederations Cup. The Netherlands' wins came in the group stages of Euro 2008, and in the second group stage of the 1978 World Cup - there was no "knock out" stage in that tournament, the eight winners and runners up of the first group stage were grouped into two groups of four for the second round, with the winners of each group facing off in the final.
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