Football is one of the most popular sports in the world. All cup competitions are watched by people from all over the world. Even when it’s the european championship, many fans from Asia, America or Africa watch it. This is because football is a very exciting sport that can bring a lot of joy but also tears. A special place on the football map of the world is Italy. What is their football like and what phrases should every Italian football fan know?
What is Italian football like?
Italy is one of the European countries where football plays a very important role. For many Italians tired of the hardships of everyday life, it is the best form of relaxation. Today, the Italian national team is considered to be one of the best teams in the world. They have won the FIFA World Cup four times. They have also won one European Championship, , finished third in the Confederations Cup, won one Olympic football tournament and two Central European international cups.
The national team is currently led by Italian coach Roberto Mancini and captained by Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini. Goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon has made the most appearances for the national team, while Luigi Riva has scored the most goals for the national team.
The club with the most championships is Juventus. It has won them a total of 36 times, which is an absolute phenomenon in the world. Last season – 2020/2021, in turn, belonged to Internazionale, with the phenomenal Antonio Conte. It was the 19th title of the current Italian champions. The top scorer in league history is Silvio Piola, who has scored a total of 274 goals in the league.
What terms should every Italian football fan know?
Italian football is one of the most attractive in the world. For this reason, it has so many fans all over the world. Many football fans would like to go to a football match in Italy at least once. To make it easier, it is worth knowing a few vocabulary which can make the stay in sunny Italy much easier.
First of all, it is worth knowing that football is called “Calcio” in Italian. To play football means “giocare a pallone”, and the game itself takes place at the “Stadio”. Every four years we witness the “Copa del Mondo”, which features the best “Squadra di Calcio” from around the world.
Each team consists of players such as “Portiere”, “Difensore”, “Centrocampista” and “Attaccante”. In each position, the Italians boast players of incredible class. The best “portiere” in history is undoubtedly Buffon, but when it comes to “Difensore” the discussion can be very long. Maldini, Baresi, Baggio? Each of them was phenomenal in their own way, and you can’t leave out stars like Cannavaro, Chiellini and Bonucci. The Italian “Centrocampista” is synonymous with the name Pirlo, and the “Attaccante” were many… Del Piero, Totti, or just Silvio Piola.
When a goal is scored
The game of football itself consists of several elements. The team in possession of the ball tries to “Attacco” to score a goal. However, it must be careful not to impale itself on the “Contrattacco” of the opposing team. A very good game of “difesa” can destroy all the plans of the attacking team. Sometimes a “commettere falli” game is needed to prevent the opponent from getting into a dangerous situation. Good defensive play usually ends with “passaggio in profondità”, which are usually not dangerous for the goalkeeper. Many wing actions end with a “cross” and a “fare un gol”, which gives the team a “vittoria di partita”.
Too much rough play will usually end in a “cartellino giallo”. However, when a player really overdoes the sliding, nothing prevents the coach from using “cartellino rosso”.
Off the football pitch
It is also useful to know terms that refer to other aspects of football. Thus, “scommesse sportive” means betting, “Tifoso” is a fan, and to fill the stands means in Italian “gremire la gradinata”. Many fans loudly “scandire” during the “partita”, and after the game, they head to the pub to drink beer.
All in all, Italian football stands at a very high level. Serie A is one of the best leagues in the world, where really good footballers play. Many fans of Italian football have not come from nowhere. The Italian national team is one of the most successful in the world and its players are known for their incredible skills.