For our younger readers who have never seen Italy play in a World Cup (2026 is the third World Cup in a row that the Azzurri have not managed to qualify for the tournament), it might surprise them that Italy are elite in the history of the tournament. Four-time winners, there has always been a whiff (to put it mildly) of corruption in the air around each of their World Champion victories.
1934 World Cup in Italy
Maybe the most corrupt World Cup of them all, the second World Cup was hosted by Italy. Similar to how Hitler would attempt to use the Berlin Olympics that would come two years later, the World Cup was a chance for fascist leader Mussolini to show how powerful his Italy was, to legitimise his government and promote fascist ideology to a global audience. Half-filled stadiums were announced as packed on State radio, and there was alleged bribing of referees to edge things in Italy’s favour. In the quarter final between the hosts and Spain, suspect decisions went to the host nation, with two Spanish goals disallowed that looked dodgy to neutrals. Italian referees were used in big matches, such as the semi-final between Germany and Czechoslovakia, with the Czechs seemingly the ‘easier’ opponent for Italy in the final.
1938 World Cup in France
Although there was not the same level of corruption and match-fixing suggested in this World Cup as in the previous, there was still plenty to talk about for Italy’s second World Cup victory. In the quarter-final tie against the hosts, the team was ordered to wear an all-black kit in tribute to the paramilitary wing of Mussolini’s regime and was ordered to give the straight-arm Roman/Fascist salute before the match. This caused uproar with the home crowd. The night before the final against Hungary, the players received a telegram in their Paris hotel from Mussolini simply stating, “Win or Die!”. The players must have just played with absolute fear.
1982 World Cup in Spain
The Totonero affair had rocked Italian football in 1980. Named after the term for illegal betting schemes in Italy that involved a syndicate attempting to influence matches in both Serie A and B. It ended with multiple arrests at some of the top clubs in the country and led to demotions to lower leagues for AC Milan and Lazio, 50 year bans, and massive points deductions. Striker, Paolo Rossi was given a three-year suspension, with the final year cut to allow him to take part in the 1982 World Cup. Things started slowly for Italy and Rossi, but once he started scoring in the second group phase, he didn’t stop, netting six goals and the Golden Boot, including a hat-trick against Brazil in a 3-2 humdinger.
2006 World Cup in Germany
The final itself would be remembered more for Zinedine Zidane finishing his career with a red card for headbutting Marco Materazzi in the chest, but the Italy team that won that match and the tournament had once again done so with a backdrop of corruption. The Calciopoli scandal involved AC Milan, Fiorentina, Lazio, and Juventus. Bribery and match-fixing was rife, involving the biggest owners and administrators at the biggest clubs. Juventus General Manager Luciano Moggi was at the centre of it all, and Juventus would end up demoted to Serie B. Despite this scandal, the national team performed above expectations at the World Cup, topping their group, knocking out Australia, Ukraine, the hosts Germany in an exciting semi-final with Del Piero and Grosso extra-time goals, before beating France on penalties in the final.
What type of scandal will it take for the footballing Gods to allow Italy to even qualify for a World Cup again?
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