List of Italy national football team captains

Last updated

This is a list of all the captains who played for the Italy national football team .

Contents

Francesco Calì was the first captain of the Italy national football team. [1]

The only players who were captains in all matches they have played in the national team were Giuseppe Milano (11 appearances), Francesco Calì (2 caps) and Giulio Cappelli (2 caps).

Gianluigi Buffon wore the captain band the most times: 80. [2]

Gianluigi Buffon is also the goalkeeper who has worn the captain band the most times: 80.

Valentino Mazzola and Sandro Mazzola as well as Cesare Maldini and Paolo Maldini are the only cases of father and son who have worn the captain band during their respective times on the national team. Goalkeepers, Gianluigi Buffon and Lorenzo Buffon are distant cousins. Attilio Ferraris and Pietro Ferraris, despite the same surname, are not relatives.

Ciro Immobile is the current captain of the national team.

List of captains by appearances

Updated as of 17 October 2023. [3]

Players in bold are still active. Players in italics served as the designated captain for his captaincy period.

#NameCaptainAppearancesGoalsNational yearsCaptaincy yearsRef
1 Gianluigi Buffon 8017601997–20182010–2018 [nb 1]
2 Fabio Cannavaro 7913621997–20102002–2010 [nb 2]
3 Paolo Maldini 7412671988–20021994–2002
4 Giacinto Facchetti 709431963–19771966–1977
5 Dino Zoff 5911201968–19831977–1983
6 Giuseppe Bergomi 338161982–19981988–1991
7 Franco Baresi 318111982–19941991–1994
8 Adolfo Baloncieri 2747251920–19301927–1930
9 Renzo De Vecchi 264301910–19251920–1925
9 Leonardo Bonucci 2612182010–2014–
11 Giampiero Boniperti 243871947–19601952–1960
12 Giorgio Chiellini 2211782004–20222012–2022
13 Giuseppe Meazza 1753331930–19391937–1939
13 Sandro Salvadore 173621960–19701963–1966
15 Umberto Caligaris 165901922–19341931–1934
16 Giuseppe Milano 111101911–19141911–1914
17 Gaetano Scirea 107821975–19861984–1986
18 Luigi Allemandi 92401925–19361934–1936
18 Silvio Piola 934301935–19521940–1952
18 Marco Tardelli 98161976–19851983–1985
18 Antonio Cabrini 97391978–19871983–1987
18 Gianluigi Donnarumma 95802016–2021–
18 Andrea Pirlo 9116132002–20152010–2015
24 Alessandro Altobelli 861251980–19881986–1987
24 Virginio Rosetta 85201920–19341929–1934
26 Riccardo Carapellese 716101947–19561949–1950
26 Luigi Cevenini 729111915–19291925–1929
26 Alessandro Del Piero 791271995–20082004–2008
29 Demetrio Albertini 67931991–20021996–2000
29 Carlo Annovazzi 61701947–19521951–1952
29 Lorenzo Buffon 61501958–19621961–1962
29 Sergio Cervato 62841951–19601955–1959
29 Daniele De Rossi 6117212004–20172007–2017
29 Virgilio Fossati 61211910–19151912–1915
29 Cesare Maldini 61401960–19631962–1963
36 Gianpiero Combi 54701924–19341931–1934
36 Alessandro Mazzola 570221963–19741972
36 Valentino Mazzola 51241942–19491947–1949
36 Egisto Pandolfini 52191950–19571952–1955
40 Giancarlo Antognoni 47371974–19831977–1981
40 Ciro Immobile 457172014–2018–
40 Gianni Rivera 460141962–19741964–1965
43 Alessandro Costacurta 35921991–19981995–1997
43 Attilio Ferraris 32801926–19351934–1935
43 Alessandro Florenzi 34922012–2020–
43 Alessandro Nesta 37801996–20062004
43 Gianluca Vialli 359161985–19921989–1992
48 Romeo Benetti 25521971–19801978–1979
48 Giacomo Bulgarelli 22971962–19671966
48 Francesco Calì 22019101910
48 Giulio Cappelli 2211936–19361936
48 Fulvio Collovati 25031979–19861985
48 Giovanni Ferrari 244141930–19381938
48 Pietro Ferraris 21431935–19471947
48 Alfredo Foni 22301936–19421936
48 Gennaro Gattuso 27312000–20102009
48 Alberto Gilardino 257192004–20132011–2013
48 Ardico Magnini 22001953–19571956–1957
48 Marco Materazzi 24122001–20082004–2005
48 Riccardo Montolivo 26622007–20172013–2014
48 Miguel Montuori 21221956–19601959–1960
48 Maino Neri 2801948–19541948
48 Gianluca Pagliuca 23901990–19981994–1995
48 Pietro Rava 23001935–19461939–1942
48 Armando Segato 22001953–19591958–1959
48 Marco Verratti 25532012–2019–
48 Gianluca Zambrotta 29821999–20102010
68 Massimo Ambrosini 13501999–20082006
68 Roberto Baggio 156271988–20041992
68 Federico Bernardeschi 13962016–2021
68 Fulvio Bernardini 12631925–19321932
68 Sergio Brighenti 1921959–19611961
68 Tarcisio Burgnich 16621963–19741973
68 Piero Campelli 11101912–19211920
68 Antonio Cassano 139102003–20142011
68 Gino Colaussi 125151935–19401939
68 Antonio Di Natale 142112002–20122009
68 Stephan El Shaarawy 12962012–2020–
68 Ciro Ferrara 14901987–20002000
68 Claudio Gentile 17111975–19841984
68 Mario Gianni 1601927–19331932
68 Lorenzo Insigne 154102012–2018–
68 Jorginho 14852016–2021–
68 Giacomo Losi 11101960–19621962
68 Bruno Mora 12141959–19651962
68 Bruno Nicolè 1821958–19641961
68 Christian Panucci 15741994–20082003
68 Angelo Peruzzi 13101995–20062005
68 Alfredo Pitto 12921928–19351935
68 Giuseppe Rossi 13072008–20142010
68 Aristodemo Santamaria 11131915–19231921
68 Angelo Schiavio 121151925–19341933
68 Salvatore Sirigu 12802010–2020–
68 Luca Toni 147162004–20092005
Total94 players8691910–20231910–2023

List of captains by captaincy period

List of captaincy periods of the various captains throughout the years. [13]

Notes

  1. 1 2 Gianluigi Buffon served as second acting captain in UEFA Euro 2008 after Alessandro Del Piero was named the team's acting captain, as Cannavaro was injured and unable to take part in the competition, however Del Piero was frequently deployed as a substitute. [4] Although Buffon was officially named Italy's new captain in 2010, [5] following Fabio Cannavaro's retirement subsequent to the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Andrea Pirlo was named the Italy national team's acting captain after the tournament (while Daniele De Rossi was named the team's second acting captain), [5] [6] [7] as Buffon was ruled out until the end of the year due to injury, and only made his first appearance as Italy's official captain on 9 February 2011, in a 1–1 friendly away draw against Germany. [5] [8] [9] [10]
  2. 1 2 During UEFA Euro 2008, Alessandro Del Piero was named the Italy national team's acting captain, as Cannavaro was injured and unable to take part in the competition, however Gianluigi Buffon was often played as captain as Del Piero was frequently deployed as a substitute. [11] [12] [4]

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References

  1. "Franz Calì: il primo capitano raccontato in un libro" [Franz Calì: the first captain recounted in a book] (in Italian). La Gazzetta dello Sport. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
  2. "Founders: Fabio Cannavaro". Fondazione Cannavaro-Ferrara. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
  3. "Capitani" [Captains]. FIGC.it (in Italian). FIGC . Retrieved 2 May 2016.
  4. 1 2 Paolo Menicucci (10 June 2008). "L'Italia parte male, l'Olanda cala il tris" [Italy start badly, Holland score three] (in Italian). UEFA. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
  5. 1 2 3 Andrea Santoni (27 June 2010). "Buffon, annuncio choc: Mi opero e torno nel 2011" (in Italian). Il Corriere dello Sport. Archived from the original on 23 January 2017. Retrieved 23 July 2016.
  6. Riccardo Pratesi (6 August 2010). "Prandelli cambia l'Italia Amauri, Cassano e Balotelli" (in Italian). La Gazzetta dello Sport. Retrieved 23 July 2016.
  7. "Pirlo, ricetta Nazionale "Ritroviamo la qualità"" (in Italian). La Gazzetta dello Sport. 1 September 2010. Retrieved 23 July 2016.
  8. "Motta, Giovinco and Matri news. Among the 23 players Buffon's return". FIGC. 6 February 2011. Retrieved 23 July 2016.
  9. "Il gol di Rossi salva l'Italia: 1-1" (in Italian). Mediaset. 10 February 2011. Retrieved 23 July 2016.
  10. Micaela Del Monte (29 March 2012). "Capitani Azzurri: Gianluigi Buffon (2008 - Oggi)" (in Italian). TuttoNazionali.com. Retrieved 23 July 2016.
  11. Gaetano DeStefano (2 June 2008). "Italia, è già dopo Cannavaro Arriva Gamberini, chi gioca?" (in Italian). La Gazzetta dello Sport. Retrieved 22 July 2016.
  12. Maurizio Nicita (12 June 2008). "Buffon, niente fascia Il capitano è Del Piero" (in Italian). La Gazzetta dello Sport. Retrieved 22 July 2016.
  13. "Capitani" [Captains]. FIGC.it (in Italian). FIGC. Archived from the original on 3 May 2016. Retrieved 2 May 2016.