The History of Football in Italy: How the Game Became Popular and Changed the Country Forever. | OneFootball

Football, also known as soccer, is the most popular sport in Italy. It’s a game started initially by British children and has been a significant part of Italian culture for over a century. The first football club, Genoa Cricket and Athletic Club was established in Italy in 1893. Their motto is “Dulce Man Ut Septem”, which means “Football is as Sweet as Seven”. Football has impacted Italian society, and Italians who live outside Italy can’t fully understand it. From the national teams to the regional groups, football is ingrained into every part of life for Italians. Why not read about how football became an essential part of life and changed the country forever?

BEGINNING

The beginning of football in Italy was more than 100 years ago when James Richardson Spensley founded Genoa Cricket and Athletic Club on November 4th, 1893. This club became known as one of the oldest clubs in Italy, with their motto being “Dulce Man Ut Septem”, which translates to “football is as sweet as seven”. Football played an essential role in the country’s history because it helped give people hope during difficult times like war and poverty.

The Rise and Fall of the Italian National Team

Football in Italy became popular in the early 20th century. The Italians’ love of football soon turned into an obsession. One of the most critical aspects of this period was the rise and fall of the Italian national team, Azzurri. From 1934 to 1938, they won three World Cups in a row. They were considered one of the best teams in world football. But after World War II ended, all major sports leagues started to collapse, and many athletes left for other countries.

The Azzurri didn’t receive any more success on the international level until 1982, when they won their third World Cup title at home in Rome with a 1-0 victory over West Germany. Even though over 30 years since their last accomplishment, many Italian people still believe that they can return to dominance on an international level once again.

Regional Teams and Football Clubs

Football has had such a significant impact on Italian society. Italians who live outside of Italy can’t fully understand the effect of football because it’s so ingrained in their culture.

There are regional teams all across Italy and many different clubs as well. The club AC Milan was the first ever to use a striker, meaning they would line up one player at the front of the team to score goals.  Italians love their regional groups and know that there is an excellent possibility that a player from their area will play for them someday.

When people think about football, they usually think about the national team, but this isn’t true for Italians. They feel a connection with their regional team more than anything else and want to see them succeed, even if it means not having a successful national team. They always say “sport is a sport”, which means everyone should enjoy any sport they like no matter what!