Facts About Soccer in Italy

Passion and artistry are found in Italian culture, architecture, cuisine and even in Italian soccer. Italy brings one of the most defensive and tactical games to the sport, according to Soccer Fans Info. While Italian soccer teams have a winning history and evoke national pride, they have not been immune to scandal in the sport.

  1. History

    • Soccer in Italy officially began in 1898 when the first matches were played. These early games were played regionally; there were not any country championships. The modern Italian soccer league was formed in 1929 and is governed by the Italian Football Federation. This league is known as the Serie A.

    Features

    • The Serie A is made up of 20 Italian soccer teams. The season runs from August to May, and each team plays 38 matches. Teams play each other two times, once away and once at home. The team with the most points at the end of the season is the league winner. The champion's title is nicknamed the "Scudetto," or small shield. The Scudetto winner wears a shield-shaped patch with the green, white and red colors of the Italian flag on their jerseys the next season.

    Golden Star

    • Politician and entrepreneur Umberto Agnelli came up with the idea of the Golden Star for Excellence in 1958. The Golden Star is awarded to a club after it wins 10 Scudettos and allows the club to add the star to team jerseys. Juventus, AC Milan and Inter Milan are the only three Serie A teams that had at least one Golden Star, as of May 2010.

    National Team

    • Italy has won the World Cup four times. The Italian National Team brought home the title in 1934, 1938, 1982 and 2006. The team is known as the "Azzurri" for the traditional azure blue color in their uniform. The blue pays homage to Italy's regal past. Savoy blue was the color of the Italian royalty of 1861 to 1946, according to Forza Azzurri.

    Scandals

    • Italian soccer has been linked to scandals through the years. The first was in 1927. The latest scandal came in 2006, centered around game-fixing that affected the standings of several Serie A teams. In addition, 2007 saw fan riots that caused officials to cancel games and close stadiums to the public.