Italy overall WC performance(including pre-Finals friendlies & WCQ)

[Excape Goat]

Italy might be the first winning team that had an consistant WCQ and pre-Finals friendlies performance before the WC Finals. All other WC winners seemed to have problems in their WCQers or pre-Finals friendly results

-- Italy finished 1st in the WCQ group.
-- First, they beat Holland. Holland just beat the Cezch Republic in a WCQer. Many people saw Holland as a big contender in the WC Finals.
-- Then, they trashed Germany 4-1.
-- During the WC Finals, they went undefeated and only lost one own goal during the run of play. Altrhough I was not impressed with their performance, their numbers looked great.
-- They also went 26 matches unbeaten.

2002: Brazil's WCQers were poor and were not considered the favorites to win.

1998: I did not recall the results. I seemed to recall France did not have a good friendlies.

1994: Brazil suffered the first WCQer defeat.

1990: Germany made it through as 2nd palce in WCQers. I did not recall their friendlies up until the Finals.

1986: Argentina was very bad in their friendlies.

1982: I really forgot.

[pippomo]

1982: I really forgot.
Lost to Denmark in WC qualification ( 2-0 ), a draw to Greece in WC Qulification, lost to france in a pre-WC friendly ( 2-0 ) and to East Germany ( 1-0 ), tied Switzerladn ( 1-1 ). But the worst was a friendly against an all star european team: 3-0 with goals of Simonsen, Woodstock and Halihodzic ( 3 wonderful players )... April 1981.

[soccerr9]

italy 2004-2006

euro 04 1 W 2 Ties- 3rd in Group
1st in world cup qualifiers 7 wins 2 Loses 1 tie
wc 2006 champions 4 wins 3 ties (germany france both ties since they are determined by pks or overtime when game was tied after the run of play)

friendlies do not count due to experimental teams... avoiding injuries etc...

overall

12 W 2 Loses 6 ties


winning percentage 60%
Losing perc. 10%
tieing perc. 30%

[simon99]

A week or two prior to the 1994 WC, Brazil tied Canada 1-1 in Edmonton with their A team.

[Spartak]

italy 2004-2006

euro 04 1 W 2 Ties- 3rd in Group
1st in world cup qualifiers 7 wins 2 Loses 1 tie
wc 2006 champions 4 wins 3 ties (germany france both ties since they are determined by pks or overtime when game was tied after the run of play)

friendlies do not count due to experimental teams... avoiding injuries etc...

overall

12 W 2 Loses 6 ties


winning percentage 60%
Losing perc. 10%
tieing perc. 30%
The Germany game counts as a win. Only games that end as a draw or go to pks count as a draw.

[Excape Goat]

I do not care for record because sometimes it meant beating weak teams. Italy was impressive because it beat Holland 3-1 in Amsterdam. Three months before, Holland just beat the Czech Republic, their jinx team, in Prague. They were considered a favorite heading to germany.

[Excape Goat]

Lets see other WC winners....

France 1997-1998 record: They went 0-2-1 in the WC preparation tournament in 1997. They only played one big team -- Spain -- between 1997 and 1998. It beat them by 1-0 at home.

Brazil 1993-1994: It drew Germany and England in the US Cup. It lost their first ever WCQ defeat against Bolivia on July, 1993. Brazil did look impressive in 1994. It beat Argentina and Mexico.

West Germany: They qualified second behind Holland in WCQ, but the two WCers were draws. It was impressive considered that Holland was good in 1989. They lost to France in 1990, but beat Denmark and the Czechoslavakia. they only drew Uruguay.