2010–2014: European Championship runners-up Italy national football team

the national football team of italy before uefa euro 2012 final, olympic stadium, kiev, 1 july 2012.

marcello lippi stepped down after italy s world cup campaign , replaced cesare prandelli, although lippi s successor had been announced before tournament. italy began campaign prandelli disappointing 0–1 loss ivory coast in friendly match. then, during euro 2012 qualifier, italy came behind defeat estonia 2–1. in next euro qualifier, italy dominated faroe islands 5–0. italy tied 0–0 northern ireland. 5 days later, italy played serbia; however, serbian fans in stadio luigi ferraris began riot, throwing flares , shooting fireworks onto pitch, subsequently causing abandonment of game. upon uefa disciplinary review, italy awarded 3–0 victory propelled them top of group. in first match of 2011, italy drew 1–1 friendly germany @ dortmund, in same stadium beat germany 2–0 advance final of 2006 world cup. in march 2011, italy won 1–0 on slovenia again secure spot @ top of qualification table. defeated ukraine 2–0 in friendly, despite being reduced ten men late stages of match. 3–0 defeat of estonia in euro 2012 qualifier, prandelli s italy secured table lead , achieved 9 undefeated games in row since initial debacle. streak ended on 7 june 2011 trapattoni s current charges, republic of ireland, italy losing 0–2 in friendly in liège.

at beginning of second season under coach prandelli, on 10 august 2011, italy defeated reigning world champions spain 2–1 in friendly match played in bari s stadio san nicola, lost in friendly united states, 1–0, on home soil on 29 february 2012.

italy started euro 2012 campaign 1–1 draw current reigning european , world champions spain. following met croatia , held 1–1 draw. finished second in group behind spain beating republic of ireland 2–0, earned them quarter final match against winners of group d, england. after one-sided affair in italy failed take chances, managed best england on penalty kicks, though down in shootout. save goalkeeper gianluigi buffon put them ahead after chip shot andrea pirlo. prandelli s side won shootout 4–2.

in next game, first semi-final of competition, faced germany team tipped many next european champions. however, 2 first-half goals mario balotelli saw germany sent home, , italians went through finals face title defenders spain.

in final, however, unable repeat earlier performance against spain, falling 4–0 lose championship. prandelli s men further undone string of injuries left them playing ten men last half-hour, substitute thiago motta forced go off after 3 substitutions had been made.

during 2013 confederations cup in brazil, italy started in group mexico, japan , brazil. after beating mexico 2–1 , japan 4–3, italy lost final group game against tournament hosts brazil 4–2. italy faced spain in semi-finals, in rematch of euro 2012 final. italy lost 7–6 (0–0 after time) in penalty shoot-out after leonardo bonucci failed score kick. prandelli praised tactics against current world cup , european champions. italy able win match third place defeating uruguay penalty score of 5–4 (2–2 after time).

italy drawn in uefa group b 2014 world cup qualification campaign. won qualifying group without losing match. despite successful run not seeded in pot 1 final seeding. in december 2013, italy drawn in group d against costa rica, england , uruguay. in first match, italy defeated england 2–1. however, in second group stage match, underdogs costa rica beat italians 1–0. in italy s last group match, knocked out uruguay 1–0, due in part 2 controversial calls referee marco antonio rodríguez (mexico): in 59th minute, midfielder claudio marchisio sent off questionable tackle. later in 80th minute, teams knotted @ 0–0 have sent italy next round, uruguayan striker luis suárez bit defender giorgio chiellini on shoulder not sent off. uruguay went on score moments later in 81st minute diego godín header corner kick, winning game 1–0 , eliminating italy. marked italy s second consecutive failure reach round of 16 @ world cup finals. shortly after loss, coach cesare prandelli resigned.