The France national football team represents France in men's international football matches. It is governed by the French Football Federation, the governing body for football in France. It is a member of UEFA in Europe and FIFA in global competitions. The team's colors and imagery reference two national symbols: the French red-white-blue tricolour and Gallic rooster. The team is colloquially known as Les Bleus. They play home matches at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis and train at INF Clairefontaine in Clairefontaine-en-Yvelines. Lead scout Tobias Bichin
The Italy national football team has represented Italy in international football since its first match in 1910. The national team is controlled by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), the governing body for football in Italy, which is a co-founder and member of UEFA. Italy's home matches are played at various stadiums throughout Italy, and its primary training ground and technical headquarters, Centro Tecnico Federale di Coverciano, is located in Florence. Italy are the reigning European champions, having won UEFA Euro 2020.
The 1984 UEFA European Football Championship final tournament was held in France from 12 to 27 June 1984. It was the seventh UEFA European Championship, a competition held every four years and endorsed by UEFA.
The Portugal national football team has represented Portugal in international men's football competition since 1921. The national team is controlled by the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF), the governing body for football in Portugal. Portugal's home matches are played at various stadiums throughout Portugal, and its primary training ground and technical headquarters, Cidade do Futebol, is located in Oeiras. The head coach of the team is Roberto Martínez, who replaced Fernando Santos in January 2023 following his stepping down after the 2022 World Cup, and the captain is Cristiano Ronaldo, who also holds the team records for most caps and most goals.
The Poland national football team has represented Poland in men's international tournaments football competitions since their first match in 1921. The team is controlled by the Polish Football Association (PZPN), the governing body for football in Poland.
Football is the most popular sport in Italy. The Italy national football team is considered to be one of the best national teams in the world. They have won the FIFA World Cup four times, trailing only Brazil, runners-up in two finals and reaching a third place (1990) and a fourth place (1978). They have also won two European Championships, also appearing in two finals, finished third at the Confederations Cup (2013), won one Olympic football tournament (1936) and two Central European International Cups.
Ciro Ferrara is an Italian former footballer and manager. His most recent position was as manager of Wuhan Zall. He had also previously coached Juventus and the Italy national under-21 team. As an assistant coach to Marcello Lippi, he won the 2006 FIFA World Cup with Italy senior team.
Gaetano Scirea was an Italian professional footballer who is considered one of the greatest defenders of his generation and one of the greatest defenders of all time. He spent most of his career with Juventus F.C.
Antonio Cabrini is an Italian professional football manager and a former player. He played left-back, mainly with Juventus. He won the 1982 FIFA World Cup with the Italy national team. Cabrini was nicknamed Bell'Antonio, because of his popularity as a charismatic and good-looking football player. On the field, he made a name for himself as one of Italy's greatest defenders ever, and is remembered in particular for forming one of the most formidable defensive units of all time with Italy and Juventus, alongside goalkeeper Dino Zoff, as well as defenders Claudio Gentile and Gaetano Scirea. Cabrini won the Best Young Player Award at the 1978 World Cup, after helping Italy manage a fourth-place finish, and also represented Italy at Euro 1980, once again finishing in fourth place. He is one of the few players to have won all UEFA Club competitions, an achievement he managed with Juventus. In 2021, he was inducted into the Italian Football Hall of Fame.
Francesco "Ciccio" Graziani is an Italian football manager and former football player who played as a forward.
Azeglio Vicini was an Italian football coach and player, who also served as the President of the Technical Sector of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC).
Jan Willem Wegereef is a former top-level Dutch football (soccer) referee, living in Hellevoetsluis. He refereed one match at the 2002 World Cup and has officiated a total of 12 UEFA Champions League matches. As of 2008, he had officiated in 42 matches across all UEFA competitions. He also officiated the 2006–07 Saudi Premier League final.
Tom "Tiny" Wharton OBE was a Scottish football referee in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. Known as Tiny, due to his colossal 6'4" frame, he was one of the most iconic and respected officials of his generation.
Marc Batta is a French former football referee.
Luigi Agnolin was an Italian football referee. He was mostly known for supervising four matches in the FIFA World Cup, three in 1986 and one in 1990. He also refereed the 1988 European Cup Final between PSV Eindhoven and S.L. Benfica.
Paolo Casarin is a retired football referee from Italy. He is mostly known for supervising two matches in the 1982 FIFA World Cup in Spain and overseeing rules and regulations throughout Europe.
Johannes "Jan" Nicolaus Ignacius Keizer is a retired Dutch referee. He is known for having refereed two matches in the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico. He also refereed one match in the 1984 UEFA European Football Championship in France.
The Netherlands national football team has represented the Netherlands in international men's football matches since 1905. The men's national team is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB), the governing body for football in the Netherlands, which is a part of UEFA, under the jurisdiction of FIFA. They were sometimes regarded as the greatest national team of the respective generations. Most of the Netherlands home matches are played at the Johan Cruyff Arena, De Kuip, Philips Stadion and De Grolsch Veste.
Nicola Rizzoli is an Italian former football referee who refereed in the Italian Serie A from 2002 to 2017 and was a FIFA-listed referee from 2007 to 2017. He refereed the 2014 FIFA World Cup Final between Germany and Argentina on 13 July at the Estádio do Maracanã and the 2013 Champions League Final between Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich at Wembley Stadium. Rizzoli won seven consecutive AIC Serie A Referee of the Year Awards from 2011 to 2017. On 18 February 2017, Soccer 360 included Rizzoli on its list of the top 5 referees in the 21st century.
The France-Portugal football rivalry is a national level football rivalry. Although the teams first met on the 18th of April of 1926 in a friendly match in France where Portugal lost 4-2, the rivalry only began in 2000 when in the 2000 Euro Portugal lost 2-1 to France after extra time in the Semi-Final round. The first time Portugal played against France in a non-friendly match was on the 23rd of June of 1984 in the 1984 Euro Semi-Final round were Portugal lost 3-2 after extra time in France. The most recent encounter between both teams happpened on the 23rd of June of 2021 in a match of the Euro 2020 group stage that ended 2-2.
