www.forza-azzurri.info To honour all those who made the Azzurro colours one of the greatest in world football history A web site by PIERRE BONELLO

CLICK ANYWHERE IN THE CENTRE TO ENTER THE WORLD OF THE AZZURRI Click on the portraits to read a short biography on each Azzurro on this page

FORZA AZZURRI STATISTICS

THE WORLD CHAMPIONS

Copyright © 1999-2008 Pierre Bonello, Malta. All rights reserved | Disclaimer & Copyright | Privacy Policy

CONGRATULATIONS ...............................MARCELLO LIPPI 31 Consecutive Azzurri Unbeaten Games - Breaking the Record of Vittorio Pozzo & Equalizing the World Record

Forza Azzurri Statistics would like to congratulate Marcello Lippi who with the draw of 1-1 against Greece on Wednesday 19 November 2008 in the friendly match played in Athens, broke the record of 31 consecutive Azzurri unbeaten games and equalized the World Record of unbeaten consecutive games by a national team under the same National Coach. The previous record of 30 unbeaten Azzurri games was held for 79 years by the legendary Azzurro National Coach Vittorio Pozzo, il vecchio maestro (the Old Master) and was made up of a total of 24 victories and 6 draws with the Azzurri scoring 75 goals and conceding 29 in the process. It started with the Azzurro Game 121 on the 24 November 1935 when Italy equalized 2-2 against Hungary in a competitive match for the third edition of the Coppa Internazionale played in Milano. The 30th unbeaten match was Azzurro Game 150, a friendly match played on the 20 July 1939 against Finland in Helsinki which the Azzurri won 3-2. The record was terminated in the next match (Azzurro Game 151) when the Italian National Team lost 1-3 against Switzerland in a friendly match played in Zurich on the 12 November 1939. One must point out that during the period covered by this record, the Azzurri were losing against Austria 0-2 in a match for the fourth edition of the Coppa Internazionale played in Vienna on the 21 March 1937. But fortunately for Pozzo this match was suspended in the 74th minute and was declared to be removed from all statistical records. The 30 unbeaten Azzurri games under Vittorio Pozzo covered a period of 3 years 9 months and included 17 friendly matches and 13 competitive ones (5 Coppa Internazionale, 4 World Cup and 4 Olympic Games). During this period the Azzurri won the third edition of the Coppa Internazionale (1933-35), the 1936 (Berlin) Olympics Football Gold Medal and the 1938 (France) World Cup. The record of Marcello Lippi is divided in two parts with the two year period of Roberto Donadoni as National Coach of the Azzurri in between. Up till now it includes 18 victories and 13 draws with the Azzurri scoring 50 goals and conceding 19 in the process. It started with the Azzurro Game 631 on the 13 October 2004 when Italy won 3-2 against Belarus in a World Cup qualification match played in Parma. The first part of the Lippi record terminated with Azzurro Game 655, the 2006 World Cup Final against France when the Azzurri won the 2006 World Cup in Germany with a penalty shoot-out of 5-3 after the match finished 1-1 on the 9 July 2006 in Berlin. This first period finished with 25 consecutive unbeaten Azzurri games, 15 of which were victories and 10 draws with the Azzurri scoring 41 goals and conceding 14. After the two year period of Donadoni, the record of Lippi continued on Azzurri Game 679 when the Azzurri equalized 2-2 against Austria in a friendly match place in Nice (France) on the 20 August 2008. Up till now the second part of the unbeaten record of Marcello Lippi is made up of 6 games, 3 victories and 3 draws, with the Azzurri scoring 9 goals and conceding 5. The 31 unbeaten Azzurri games under Marcello Lippi covered until now a total period of 2 years and included a total of 13 friendly matches and 18 competitive once (all World Cup games). During this period the Azzurri won the 2006 (Germany) World Cup. The current World Record of 31 unbeaten games by a National Team under the same National Coach equalized by Lippi, is held by the Argentine Alfio Basile and Spanish Javier Clemente. On behalf of all the Azzurri supporters all over the world we compliment Marcello Lippi for breaking (Azzurri) and equalizing (World) this record and wish him all the best to break it and increase it as much as possible. Since Vittorio Pozzo hold also a number of other impressive records, like the only National Coach in World Cup history to win 2 World Cups (1934 & 1938) and the first National Coach in World Cup history to win a World Cup on foreign ground (1938 in France), we hope that Lippi equalizes also these records of Pozzo by becoming the second National Coach in World Cup History to win 2 World Cups (2006 & 2010) and becoming the first European National Coach to win a World Cup outside Europe (2010 in South Africa).

CONGRATULATIONS .................................Gianluigi BUFFON         2008 FIFA World Player of the Year Awards Short List

Gianluigi Buffon was selected by the FIFA Football Committee to form part of the short list of 23 players for the 2008 FIFA World Player of the Year (FIFA/Adida Golden Trophy) Award. Two Azzurri players have won this prestigious award: Roberto Baggio in 1993 and Fabio Cannavaro in 2006. Paolo Maldini finished second in 1995 and Roberto Baggio third in 1994. The winner will be announced in January 2009 after a vote by the Captains and Coaches of all the National Teams of the world. Forza Azzurri Statistics, on behalf of all the Azzurri supporters all over the world would like to congratulate Buffon and wish them good luck.

SHAMEFUL ......................................................... The Azzurri no more Azzurri after 98 years - Incredible

'Clamorosa novita' alla prossima Confederation Cup. Italia, azzurro addio e arriva il marrone (Incredibile change for the next Confederation Cup. Italy, goodbye blue and arrives the maroon)'. This title of a report by Andrea Santoni on the 'Corriere dello Sport  Stadio' of the 27 November 2008 says it all. Should this report be correct next June the Italian National Football team will wear new colours for the Confederations Cup: Light Blue top  similar to Napoli, Lazio and Argentina, and Maroon (Dark Red / Brown) shorts and socks. The Goalkeepers will wear all Maroon. FIFA has already received the Technical Note of the colour change for next June as designed and proposed by the German technical sponsor of the Italian National Team, Puma and accepted by the Marketing Office of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC). As yet the FIGC has neither confirmed nor rejected the report but should this be true it will be the most shameful act in the history of the Italian National Team. Besides the fact that these colours have nothing to do with Italy and the Italian National Team, the nickname 'Azzurri' is so much synonymous with the Italian National team that you have to be sick to dream of changing it. It had been used constantly for the past 98 years and the Italian Football Federation should be organizing the centenary celebrations of the Azzurri

colours in 2011 not changing them. To put more salt on the wound the change is being proposed when the Azzurri are World Champions, will play for the first time in the Confederations Cup (the only major cup they never won) and will soon celebrate their Centenary from their first game (in 2010). It was already a shame that the traditional colours (grey and black) of the Goalkeepers were changed some years ago to red, another change, this time of the Azzurro Blue, will be unacceptable. Should this change occur, Forza Azzurri Statistics, on behalf of all the Azzurri supporters all over the world demand the resignation of the top officials of the FIGC, all the officials of the Marketing Office and a change in the technical sponsor of the Italian National team.