France vs Italy Football History: Head-to-Head & Rivalry

Berlin, 2006, was arguably the most epic clash. Zinedine Zidane drove his head into Marco Materazzi's chest and was sent off in the 110th minute. Italy won the shootout, and that moment is still the first thing most people think of in France vs Italy football history. 

But Berlin closed a run that started eight years earlier. France knocked Italy out of the 1998 World Cup on penalties and beat them in the Euro 2000 final. Across those three knockout games, the winner lifted the trophy each time. 

In this article, we will go through France vs Italy football history, head-to-head records, and the epic moments between the two sporting countries.

France vs Italy Head-to-Head Record at a Glance

Italy leads the head-to-head record comfortably. The sides have met 39 times, and Italy have won 19, France 12 times, and they drew the game 8 times. Also, Italy has scored 60 goals to France's 50. 

Lately, the momentum has been on the French side, as they have won 4 out of the last five meetings. And if you want to collect shirts from this fixture, start with our international shirts.

Key France vs Italy matches

Early Years: Italy’s Dominance 

The first France vs Italy game was also Italy’s first international game. On 15 May 1910, in the Arena Civica in Milan, Italy beat France 6-2 in front of about 4,000 people. They wore white in this game instead of blue, and Lana scored a hat trick. 

Italian players after beating France 6-2 in front of about 4,000 people. Source: FIGC

That set things up for the decade. France won just two of the first 22 meetings, and after a 1-0 win in 1913, they didn't beat Italy again until 1982. 

The big one came at the 1938 World Cup. France were hosts, Italy were holders, and they met in the quarter-final in Paris. Gino Colaussi scored, Oscar Heisserer equalised, then Silvio Piola got two to make it Italy 3-1 France. Italy went on to retain the trophy.

Turning the Tide: Platini's France

France started the 1978 World Cup brilliantly. Bernard Lacombe scored after about 30 seconds in Mar del Plata, the quickest goal of the tournament. But Italy came back to win 2-1. 

Eight years later, the tables were turned. Italy arrived as holders and met France in the last 16. Michel Platini scored in the 15th minute, Yannick Stopyra added a second early in the second half, and France won 2-0. It was France's first-ever World Cup win over Italy. 

The Golden Rivalry: 1998 to 2006 

Now we explore some of the most exciting matches between these two nations: 

1998 World Cup Quarter-Final 

On 3 July 1998 at the Stade de France, the quarter-final finished 0-0 after extra time. Bixente Lizarazu missed in the shootout, but so did Demetrio Albertini and Luigi Di Biagio, and France went through 4-3. They went on to win the whole tournament. 

France players celebrating after the 1998 World Cup final. Source: Ligue 1

Euro 2000 Final

Two years later in Rotterdam, Italy had one hand on the trophy. Marco Delvecchio put them ahead in the 55th minute, and they were still heading into the fourth minute of stoppage time when Sylvain Wiltord equalised. In extra time, Robert Pires skipped down the left and pulled it back for David Trezeguet, who hit a golden goal into the roof of the net in the 103rd minute. The game ended France 2-1 Italy, and France became the first side to win the Euros as world champions.

David Trezeguet after scoring in the Euro final. Source: UEFA 

2006 World Cup Final 

In Berlin, Zidane opened the scoring with a seventh-minute Panenka that dropped in off the bar, and Materazzi headed in an Andrea Pirlo corner in 19 minutes. In extra time, Gianluigi Buffon tipped a Zidane header over, and then came the headbutt in the 110th minute. Referee Horacio Elizondo showed a straight red card, in what was Zidane's last match. 

Trezeguet, the hero of 2000, hit the bar in the shootout. But Fabio Grosso scored the fifth penalty for a 5-3 win and Italy’s fourth World Cup. 

You can have a look at our France retro kits, Italy retro kits, and other World Cup jerseys if you want shirts from those nights.

France vs Italy Since 2006 

Euro 2008 went badly for France after Franck Ribéry was stretchered off early. Then Eric Abidal was sent off for bringing down Luca Toni, and Pirlo scored the penalty. Daniele De Rossi's deflected free kick made it Italy 2-0 France, and France went home. 

Pirlo after scoring the penalty in the Euro. Source: SkySports

France then won the friendlies in 2012, 2016, and 2018. In the September 2024 Nations League game at the Parc des Princes, Bradley Barcola scored after 13 seconds. It was the fastest goal ever scored by a French player, beating Lacombe's 1978 record. Italy still won 3-1 through Federico Dimarco, Davide Frattesi, and Giacomo Raspadori, their first win in Paris in 70 years. 

In November the same year, France won at the San Siro. Andrien Rabiot scored twice, and Guglielmo Vicario put one past himself in a 3-1 win. It was France's first competitive win over Italy in 18 years. 

At the 2026 World Cup, France reached the semi-finals and lost 2-0 to Spain. Italy missed out for the third straight tournament after losing to Bosnia and Herzegovina on penalties. 

Crossing the Border: Shared Stars 

The two countries have shared too many stars through Turin for a rivalry this fierce. Juventus have a long line of French stars, with Platini scoring 104 goals in 224 games there. Zidane joined from Bordeaux in 1996 and stayed until 2002. Didier Deschamps won three Scudetti and a Champions League. Lilian Thuram won four league titles in five years, and Paul Pogba was part of the two title-winning squads. 

Trezeguet is another good example. He scored the golden goal that beat Italy in 2000, then became Juventus’ all-time top foreign scorer with 171 goals. More recently, Olivier Giroud, Mike Maignan, and Theo Hernandez were all key to Milan's 2021-22 title. 

So many of the men who beat Italy were made in Italy. You can find jerseys of their old clubs in our Serie A shirts and Ligue 1 shirts collections. 

Trophy Comparison: France vs Italy

Italy still leads in the trophy that matters the most, with four World Cups to France's two. The Euros are level at two each, and France has a Nations League and two Confederations Cups that Italy have never won. 

France vs Italy FAQs 

Who has won more games, France or Italy? 

Italy. They've won 19 of the 39 meetings to France's 12, with eight draws.

What happened in the 2006 World Cup Final? 

It finished 1-1 in Berlin. Zidane scored a penalty, and Materazzi equalised with a header. Zidane was later sent off for headbutting Materazzi in extra time. Italy later won on penalties. 

When did France and Italy first play each other?

On 15 May 1910 in Milan. It was Italy's first-ever international game, and they won 6-2. 

Who has more World Cups, France or Italy? 

Italy has more World Cups, with four titles. They won the trophy in 1934, 1938, 1982, and 2006.

When was the last France vs Italy match? 

The last one was on 17 November 2024 at San Siro, where France won 3-1.  

Conclusion

France hosts Italy at the Stade de France for their Nations League campaign on October 2, 2026. The return leg will be played at San Siro on November 12. Do you want a shirt for any of these games? Go through our retro football shirts, or contact us if you can't find the one you're after.