Italy's European Championships Record
Italy qualified top of group B along with runners-up France with 9 wins, 2 draws and 1 defeat, the group was close with Scotland and the Ukraine narrowly missing out on making the finals. As Italy are the current world champions they are undoubtedly one of the favorites to win Euro 2008, however they had a hard time to qualify from their group in what was the most exciting of the qualifications which saw a three horse race between Italy, world cup finalists France and Scotland.
Italy have been placed in one of the toughest groups in the tournament which sees them once again against France, as well as the Netherlands and Romania, but they should just make it through to the knock-out stages and perhaps further. Italy have not won the European Championships since 1968, when they were the host nation, but this doesn't stop them from being one of the favorites as they will have the expectation and confidence from winning the 2006 World Cup.
Italy did not enter the 1960 European Nations Cup, failed to qualify in 1968, but won as hosts in 1968. They did not qualify again until 1980 where they placed fourth, losing to Czechoslovakia in the third place playoff after finished second in their group. They weren't at the 1984 in France, but reached the 1988 semi-finals, missed the 1992 tournament and didn't get out of their group in 1996 after Gianfranco Zola failed to convert a decisive penalty against eventual tournament winners Germany.
At Euro 2000 in the semifinal against the co-hosts the Holland, Francesco Toldo the Italian goalkeeper saved one penalty during the game and a further two in the shootout to book a place in the final, where they were unluckily to lose to France (2-1 on a golden goal in extra time), the French equalized with just thirty seconds of normal time left.
A three-way tie in the group stage of the 2004 European Championship meant Italy didn't make the knockout stages, finishing behind both Denmark and Sweden on the basis of number of goals scored in matches among the tied teams.
