Azzurri never knocked out against the English in major tournaments. The last two times the national team that played the European final at home has always lost
The players will go on the field, on the bench it will be a chess match between Mancini and Southgate, but also precedents and curiosities can influence the result of the final on Sunday evening at Wembley. The Azzurri, who have never lost against England between the European Championships and the World Cup, are looking for a triumph that has been missing since 1968, while for the English it is the first final. Wembley is a guarantee for the hosts (15 wins in the last 17 races), but the last two times the national team that played at home in the final has always lost (Portugal 2004 and France 2016).
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THE STATISTICS OF ITALY-ENGLAND
This will be Italy’s 10th final in a major international tournament (six World Cups, four European Championships): only Germany (14) has played more among the European national teams. Italy won the European Championships in 1968, then losing the next two finals in the competition (2000 and 2012).
● This will be England’s first European final and the first in a major international tournament since winning the 1966 World Cup. It is the longest gap between two finals (World / EURO) for any European national team (55 years old) .
● England is the 13th different nation to participate in a European final (counting Czechoslovakia and Czech Republic as one) – only three of the previous 12 have lost their first final in the competition: Yugoslavia (1960), Belgium (1980 ) and Portugal (2004).
● Italy finished second in the European Championships on two occasions, losing to France in 2000 and Spain in 2012. Only Germany and the USSR (three each) finished second more than Italy in the competition.
● At EURO 2020 England will host the final: this is the 11th occasion that a European national team has participated in a final of a major tournament as a host country (World Cup / EURO). England also succeeded in the 1966 World Cup, when they beat Germany 4-2 at Wembley. Both of the last two host European finalists lost the final (Portugal at EURO 2004 and France at EURO 2016); only one of the top eight was defeated in the final (Sweden at the 1958 World Cup).
● Italy have never lost to England in a major international tournament (3W, 1N): 1-0 at EURO 1980, 2-1 at the 1990 and 2014 World Cups and 0-0 draw before winning on penalties at EURO 2012.
● England have won only two of their last 14 matches with Italy in all competitions (5N, 7P): 2-0 in June 1997 and 2-1 in August 2013, both friendlies. England won only one of eight official matches with Italy (2N, 5P), 2-0 in a World Cup qualifier in November 1977.
● This is the third final of a major tournament to be held at Wembley Stadium (World Cup / EURO). The previous two were both won in extra time, with England beating Germany at the 1966 World Cup and Germany beating the Czech Republic at EURO 1996.
● Italy are unbeaten in their last 33 games in all competitions (27W, 6N), scoring 86 goals and conceding just 10. This is the longest unbeaten streak in the history of the Azzurri.
● England have won 15 of their last 17 games at Wembley in all competitions (1N, 1P), scoring 46 goals and conceding just five.
● England are unbeaten in their last 12 games in all competitions (11W, 1N), keeping 10 clean sheets and conceding just two goals. The Three Lions have conceded only one goal so far at EURO 2020, four of the seven previous teams that have only conceded one goal in a European have then won (USSR 1960, Italy 1968, Germany 1972 and Spain 2012).
● Gareth Southgate has won eight games as England manager between the European and World Cups, no coach at the helm of the Three Lions has ever done better in both competitions, on par with Alf Ramsey.
● Italy have made 12 shots and scored three goals following offensive steals (game play starting 40m or less from the opposing goal line) at EURO 2020, more than any other team.
● England (2.2) and Italy (2.3) have had the fewest shots on target per game on average at EURO 2020. England also have the fewest expected goals against in the competition (3.2).
● Harry Kane has seen 28 goals in his last 27 appearances for England in all competitions (19 goals, nine assists). Another goal would see him become England’s all-time top scorer in major international tournaments (World Cup / EURO – currently 10, like Gary Lineker).
● Englishman Raheem Sterling has attempted (32) and completed (18) more dribbles than any other player at EURO 2020. Seven of them have been in the opponent’s penalty area, one of which resulted in the penalty that led to the goal of England’s victory over Denmark in the semi-final.
● Only Pierre-Emile Højbjerg (15) started more game sequences ending with a shot than Italy’s Marco Verratti (nine) at EURO 2020. Furthermore, only Kevin De Bruyne (13) created more scoring chances at EURO 2020 compared to Verratti (12).
● Roberto Mancini is only the second coach to have won the English title and lead a European national team in a final of a major international tournament (World / EURO), after Alf Ramsey who won the English title with Ipswich and the World Cup. 1966 with England.
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