The Brazil–Italy football rivalry, also known as the ''Clássico Mundial'' in Portuguese or the World Derby in English, is a football rivalry between the national football teams of

Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...

and

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

, two of the most successful football nations in the world, having achieved nine

World Cups A world cup is a global sporting competition in which the participant entities – usually international teams or individuals representing their countries – compete for the title of world champion. The event most associated with the name is ...

between them. They have played against each other five times in the World Cup. Most notably, the 1970 World Cup Final and the 1994 World Cup Final in which Brazil won 4–1 in the former, and 3–2 on penalties after a goalless draw in the latter, as well as the semifinals of the 1938 World Cup and the final second group stage match of the 1982 World Cup won 3–2 by Italy. They have also met at two

FIFA Confederations Cup The FIFA Confederations Cup was an international association football tournament for men's national teams, held every four years by FIFA. It was contested by the holders of each of the six continental championships ( AFC, CAF, CONCACAF, CONMEBO ...

s as well as in the friendlies tournaments 1976 U.S.A. Bicentennial Cup and the 1997 Tournoi de France. Brazil have won a total of eight meetings, while Italy have won five and three have been drawn. The most recent meeting ended in a 4–2 victory for Brazil in Salvador, Brazil, on 22 June 2013.

List of matches

Major encounters

1938 FIFA World Cup

During the 1938 World Cup semi-final on 16 June, nine minutes after Gino Colaussi's 51st-minute breakthrough,

Giuseppe Meazza Giuseppe Meazza (; 23 August 1910 – 21 August 1979) was an Italian football manager and player. Throughout his career, he played mainly for Inter Milan in the 1930s, scoring 284 goals in 408 games for the club, and winning three Serie A title ...

doubled Italy's lead from the penalty spot. While Meazza was getting ready to take the penalty, the elastic in his shorts snapped, causing the

Inter Milan Football Club Internazionale Milano, commonly referred to as Internazionale () or simply Inter, and colloquially known as Inter Milan in English-speaking countries, is an Italian professional Association football, football List of football ...

striker to hold them up with his left hand when taking the kick. Romeu scored a late Brazilian consolation as Italy went on to win the match 2–1 over Brazil and subsequently the World Cup in the

final Final, Finals or The Final may refer to: *Final examination or finals, a test given at the end of a course of study or training *Final (competition), the last or championship round of a sporting competition, match, game, or other contest which d ...

against

Hungary Hungary is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning much of the Pannonian Basin, Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia and ...

for their second straight World Cup title.

1970 FIFA World Cup

Italy reached the final of the 1970 World Cup on 21 June by defeating West Germany 4–3 in one of the most memorable matches of all time, five of the seven goals coming in extra time. However, Ferruccio Valcareggi's men were beaten in Mexico City four days later.

Roberto Boninsegna Roberto Boninsegna ( born 13 November 1943) is an Italian former professional footballer who mainly played as a forward. After retiring, he worked as a football manager. As a player, he played for the Italy national side at two World Cups, re ...

cancelled out

Pelé Edson Arantes do Nascimento (; 23 October 1940 – 29 December 2022), better known by his nickname Pelé (), was a Brazilian professional Association football, footballer who played as a Forward (association football), forward. Widely reg ...

's 18th-minute opener, Brazil scored three goals in the second half by Gérson, Jairzinho and Carlos Alberto, with no answer from Italy as Brazil went on to win 4–1 for their third World Cup title.

1978 FIFA World Cup

On 24 June, Brazil and Italy were matched up for the third-place match of the 1978 World Cup after both sides finished second in their respective groups in the second round. Brazil won the position of third place, knocking Italy to fourth after a 2–1 win with goals by

Nelinho Manoel Rezende de Mattos Cabral (born July 26, 1950), known as Nelinho, is a former Brazilian association footballer who played as right back. He played for several clubs in his home country and abroad, including Belo Horizonte rivals Cruzeir ...

in the 64th minute and Dirceu in the 71st minute, although Italy's

Franco Causio Franco Causio (; born 1 February 1949) is an Italian former professional footballer who won the 1982 FIFA World Cup and came through the ranks of his hometown club Lecce before making his name at Juventus for many years in the 1970s and 1980s. Re ...

scored first in the 38th minute.

1982 FIFA World Cup

It was the final second round

group stage A tournament is a competition involving at least three competitors, all participating in a sport or game. More specifically, the term may be used in either of two overlapping senses: # One or more competitions held at a single venue and concentr ...

match for Group C in the 1982 World Cup on 5 July. The match was won by Italy 3–2, with Italian striker

Paolo Rossi Paolo Rossi (; 23 September 1956 – 9 December 2020) was an Italian professional association football, footballer who played as a Striker (association football), striker. He led Italy national football team, Italy to the 1982 FIFA World Cup t ...

scoring a

hat-trick A hat-trick or hat trick is the achievement of a generally positive feat three times in a match, or another achievement based on the number three. Origin The term first appeared in 1858 in cricket, to describe H. H. Stephenson taking three Wick ...

. The result eliminated Brazil from the tournament while Italy went on to win it. The match has been described as one of the greatest football matches of all time.

1994 FIFA World Cup

In the 1994 World Cup on 17 July, after 120 minutes of goalless action during the final at the Rose Bowl in

Pasadena, California Pasadena ( ) is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, northeast of downtown Los Angeles. It is the most populous city and the primary cultural center of the San Gabriel Valley. Old Pasadena is the city's original commerci ...

, United States, Italians

Franco Baresi Franchino Baresi (; born 8 May 1960) is an Italian football youth team coach and a former player and manager. He mainly played as a sweeper or as a central defender, and spent his entire 20-year career with Serie A club AC Milan, captaining th ...

, Massaro and

Roberto Baggio Roberto Baggio (; born 18 February 1967) is an Italian former professional footballer who mainly played as a second striker, or as an attacking midfielder, although he was capable of playing in several offensive positions. He is the former pr ...

missed their penalty kicks as Brazil went on to win 3–2 in the resulting

penalty shoot-out The penalty shootout is a method of determining a winner in sports matches that would have otherwise been drawn or tied. The rules for penalty shootouts vary between sports and even different competitions; however, the usual form is similar to pe ...

for their fourth World Cup title.

2009 FIFA Confederations Cup

On 21 June, Italy and Brazil were matched up for the final group game of the 2009 Confederations Cup, which saw Brazil advance with a win 3–0 with two goals by

Luís Fabiano Luís Fabiano Clemente (born 8 November 1980), commonly known as Luís Fabiano, is a retired Brazilian professional footballer who played as a striker most notably for Sevilla, São Paulo, and the Brazil national team. He is a prolific goals ...

in the 37th minute and 43rd minute as well as an own goal by Italy's Andrea Dossena in the 45th minute. Since the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

won their final group match, they over took and eliminated Italy on goals scored, although level on points. Brazil went on to win the Confederations Cup for the third time.

2013 FIFA Confederations Cup

On 22 June, Italy and Brazil faced off in the following final group match of the 2013 Confederations Cup hosted by Brazil, with both sides already qualified after winning their first two matches. Brazil yet again edged Italy, this time 4–2 with Brazilian goals by

Dante Dante Alighieri (; most likely baptized Durante di Alighiero degli Alighieri; – September 14, 1321), widely known mononymously as Dante, was an Italian Italian poetry, poet, writer, and philosopher. His ''Divine Comedy'', originally called ...

in the final minute of stoppage time in the first half,

Neymar Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior (; born 5 February 1992), also known as Neymar Júnior or simply Neymar, is a Brazilian professional Association football, footballer who plays as a left winger, attacking midfielder or Forward (association foo ...

in the 55th minute, and

Fred Fred or FRED may refer to: People * Fred (name), including a list of people and characters with the name Mononym * Fred (cartoonist) (1931–2013), pen name of Fred Othon Aristidès, French * Fred (footballer, born 1949) (1949–2022), Fred ...

in the 66th minute and the 89th minute, with Italian goals coming from Emanuele Giaccherini in the 51st minute and

Giorgio Chiellini Giorgio Chiellini (; born 14 August 1984) is an Italian former professional Association football, footballer who played as a Defender (association football)#Centre-back, centre-back or Defender (association football)#Full-back, left-back. Consi ...

in the 71st minute. Italy would go on to beat

Uruguay Uruguay, officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast, while bordering the Río de la Plata to the south and the A ...

in the third-place position, while Brazil went on to with the Confederations Cup for the 4th time after beating out

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

Overall statistics

* Brazil overcame Italy in the 1994 FIFA World Cup final via penalty shoot-out.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Brazil-Italy Football Rivalry Brazil national football team rivalries Italy national football team rivalries International association football rivalries Brazil–Italy relations Brazil at the 1938 FIFA World Cup Brazil at the 1970 FIFA World Cup Brazil at the 1978 FIFA World Cup Brazil at the 1982 FIFA World Cup Brazil at the 1994 FIFA World Cup Brazil at the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup Brazil at the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup Italy at the 1938 FIFA World Cup Italy at the 1970 FIFA World Cup Italy at the 1978 FIFA World Cup Italy at the 1982 FIFA World Cup Italy at the 1994 FIFA World Cup Italy at the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup Italy at the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup