All the information about the Azzurri team and its participation in the 2012 European Nations Championship
UEFA EUROPEAN NATIONS CHAMPIONSHIP
Henry Delaunay Cup
The 14th Edition
Poland / Ukraine, 8 June - 1 July 2012
UEFA is again organizing the 14th edition of the European Nations Championships, a competition that joins all the national teams in Europe in trying to qualify for the final stages of the tournament, which then crowns one nation as the European Champion that wins the Henry Delaunay Cup. The competition evolved slowly with the first five editions (1960-1976) having only the last four matches hosted in one country. This changed from the sixth edition onwards (from the 1980) for a full tournament of 16 teams.
The first two editions (1960-1964) were called the 'European Cup' but since the third edition (1968) the tournament started to be called the 'European Nations Championships'. For the second time, the European Nations Championship is being co-hosted by two countries - Austria and Switzerland. This is the first time both countries are hosting the European Championship, although Switzerland had hosted the 1954 World Cup. Italy won the competition in 1968 and finished runner-up in 2000 when they lost in the Extra-Time with the Golden Goal. They also finished twice in the fourth position - 1980 and 1988. The European Nations Championship was hosted by Italy in 1968 and 1980.
The predecessor of this European competition was the 'Coppa Internazionale' that was played between the Central European Nations between 1927 and 1960. The competition was played on a home/away basis and reached six editions. Italy won two of them (first edition - 1930 and third edition - 1935) and finished second in another (second edition - 1932).
The Final Positions of the Azzurri in the Euros
EDITION
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
YEAR
1960
1964
1968
1972
1976
1980
1984
1988
1992
1996
2000
2004
2008
2012
HOST
France
Spain
Italy
Belgium
Yugoslavia
Italy
France
West Germany
Sweden
England
Belgium/Netherlands
Portugal
Austria/Switzerland
Poland/Ukraine
WINNER
U.S.S.R.
Spain
Italy
West Germany
Czechoslovakia
West Germany
France
Netherlands
Denmark
Germany
France
Greece
Spain
Spain
ITALY (Final Position)
No Participation
First Round
European Champions
Quarter Finals
Qualification Round
3/4 Place Final
Qualification Round
Semi Finals
Qualification Round
First Round
Final
First Round
Quarter Finals
Final
RANK
--
16th
1st
6th
--
4th
--
4th
--
10th
2nd
9th
6th
2nd
History:
EURO 2012
Italy, although favorites, lost their bid to host the Euro 2012 to Poland / Ukraine. During the vote by the UEFA Executive Council, Italy received 4 votes to the winners 8. The other finalists, Hungary / Croatia obtained zero votes. Claims of bribing by the winning nations were investigated by UEFA and Italian police but found to be unfounded
* Result awarded by UEFA. The match was abandoned after 6 minutes with the result 0-0 due to Serbian supporters disturbances.
The mascots of this edition are the twins Slavek (Slawek) and Slavko. Wearing the colours of both hosting countries, Red and White of Poland and Yellow and Light Blue of Ukraine, Slavek and Slavko, share their love for the game of football through their ball at their feet. This ball will unite them as the Euro Championship unites both contries in this feast of football. Like the Euro 2008 mascot, the twins were created by Warner Bros and their names were chosen by popluar vote in which 39,233 Polish and Ukrainian football fans participated. Slavek & Slavko won by 56%, followed by Siemko & Strimko with 29% and Klemek & Ladko with 15%.
Giampaolo
PAZZINI
(Inter)
Giuseppe
ROSSI
(Villarreal - Spain)
Alberto
AQUILANI
(Milan)
Mattia
CASSANI
(Fiorentina)
Domenico
CRISCITO
(Zenit St Petersburg - Russia)
Emiliano
VIVIANO
(Palermo)
Angelo
PALOMBO
(Inter)
Stefano
MAURI
(Lazio)
Luca
ANTONELLI
(Genoa)
Simone
PEPE
(Juventus)
Fabio
QUAGLIARELLA
(Juventus)
Alberto
GILARDINO
(Genoa)
Cristian
MOLINARO
(Stuttgart - Germany)
Gian Luca
ZAMBROTTA
(Milan)
Marco
BORRIELLO
(Juventus)
Lorenzo
DE SILVESTRI
(Fiorentina)
Pablo Daniel
OSVALDO
(Roma)
Davide
ASTORI
(Cagliari)
Daniele
GASTALDELLO
(Sampdoria)
Cesare
BOVO
(Genoa)
Luca
CIGARINI
(Atalanta)
Andrea
LAZZARI
(Fiorentina)
Antonio
MIRANTE
(Parma)
Sergio
FLOCCARI
(Parma)
Alessandro
MATRI
(Juventus)
Alessandro
GAMBERINI
(Fiorentina)
Marco
PAROLO
(Cesena)
Davide
SANTON
(Newcastle United
- England)
Euro 2012
POINTS GAMES WINS DRAWS LOST GOALS+ GOALS-
SPAIN
ITALY
CROATIA
IRELAND
7
5
4
0
10 JuneGdansk (Pol)
10 JunePoznan (Pol)
14 JunePoznan (Pol)
14 JuneGdansk (Pol)
18 JuneGdansk (Pol)
18 JunePoznan (Pol)
SPAIN vs ITALY
IRELAND vs CROATIA
ITALY vs CROATIA
SPAIN vs IRELAND
CROATIA vs SPAIN
ITALY vs IRELAND
1 - 1
1 - 3
1 - 1
4 - 0
0 -1
2 - 0
ROUND 1 - Group C
3
3
3
3
1
2
1
0
2
1
1
0
1
2
3
9
0
0
1
3
6
4
4
1
The other Azzurri in the Pre-Euro 2012 Training Camp
Salvatore
BOCCHETTI
(Rubin Kazan - Russia)
Marco
VERRATTI
(Pescara)
Ezequiel
SCHELOTTO
(Atalanta)
The Azzurri who missed the EURO 2012 Call-Up
Carvalho
AMAURI
(Fiorentina)
Luca
ANTONINI
(Milan)
Cristian Daniel
LEDESMA
(Lazio)
Stefano
LUCCHINI
(Atalanta)
Federico
MARCHETTI
(Lazio)
Marco
MOTTA
(Catania)
INJURED
The 23-man Squad for the EURO 2012
MAGGIO Christian
Napoli
Age: 30 years
Debut: 19-11-2008
Games: 19
Goals: 0
Captain: 0
EURO 2012
Games: 3Goals: 0
TOTAL EUROS
Previous Editions: ---
Games: 3Goals: 0
Defender
BUFFON Gianluigi
Juventus
Age: 34 years
Debut: 29-10-1997
Games: 120 (20 Parma, 100 Juventus)
Captain: 24 (24 Juventus)
EURO 2012
Games: 6Captain: 6
TOTAL EUROS
Previous Editions: 2004, 2008
Games: 13Captain: 6
Goalkeeper
Defender
CHIELLINI Giorgio
Juventus
Age: 27 years
Debut: 17-11-2004
Games: 55 (5 Fiorentina, 50 Juventus)
Goals: 2 (2 Juventus)
Captain: 0
EURO 2012
Games: 5Goals: 0
TOTAL EUROS
Previous Editions: 2008
Games: 8Goals: 0
MOTTA Thiago
Paris Saint Germain (Fra)
Age: 29 years
Debut: 9-2-2011
Games: 13 (6 Inter, 7 Paris Saint Germain)
Goals: 1 (1 Inter, 0 Paris Saint Germain)
Captain: 0
EURO 2012
Games: 5Goals: 0
TOTAL EUROS
Previous Editions: ---
Games: 5Goals: 0
Midfielder
ABATE Ignazio
Milan
Age: 25 years
Debut: 11-11-2011
Games: 5
Goals: 0
Captain: 0
EURO 2012
Games: 3Goals: 0
TOTAL EUROS
Previous Editions: ---
Games: 3Goals: 0
Defender
BARZAGLI Andrea
Juventus
Age: 31 years
Debut: 17-11-2004
Games: 33 (23 Palermo,
2 Wolfsburg, 8 Juventus)
Goals: 0Captain: 0
EURO 2012
Games: 4Goals: 0
TOTAL EUROS
Previous Editions: 2008
Games: 5Goals: 0
Defender
MARCHISIO Claudio
Juventus
Age: 26 years
Debut: 12-8-2009
Games: 26
Goals: 1
Captain: 0
EURO 2012
Games: 6Goals: 0
TOTAL EUROS
Previous Editions: ---
Games: 6Goals: 0
Midfielder
BALOTELLI Mario B.
Manchester City (Eng)
Age: 21 years
Debut: 10-8-2010
Games: 14 (1 Inter, 13 Manchester city)
Goals: 4 (0 Inter, 4 Manchester City))
Captain: 0
EURO 2012
Games: 6Goals: 3
TOTAL EUROS
Previous Editions: ---
Games: 6Goals: 3
Attacker
DI NATALE Antonio
Udinese
Age: 34 years
Debut: 20-11-2002
Games: 42 (4 Empoli, 38 Udinese)
Goals: 11 (1 Empoli, 10 Udinese)
Captain: 1 (0 Empoli, 1 Udinese)
EURO 2012
Games: 5Goals: 1
TOTAL EUROS
Previous Editions: 2008
Games: 7Goals: 1
Attacker
SIRIGU Salvatore
Paris Saint Germain (Fra)
Age: 25 years
Debut: 10-8-2010
Games: 2 (2 Palermo, 0 Paris Saint
Germain)
Captain: 0
EURO 2012
Games: 0
TOTAL EUROS
Previous Editions: ---
Games: 0Goals: 0
Goalkeeper
GIACCHERINI Emanuele
Juventus
Age: 27 years
Debut: 10-6-2012
Games: 2
Goals: 0
Captain: 0
EURO 2012
Games: 2Goals: 0
TOTAL EUROS
Previous Editions: ---
Games: 2Goals: 0
Midfielder
Goalkeeper
BALZARETTI Federico
Palermo
Age: 30 years
Debut: 17-11-2010
Games: 12
Goals: 0
Captain: 0
EURO 2012
Games: 4Goals: 0
TOTAL EUROS
Previous Editions: ---
Games: 4Goals: 0
Defender
BORINI Fabio
Roma
Age: 21 years
Debut: 29-2-2012
Games: 1
Goals: 0
Captain: 0
EURO 2012
Games: 0Goals: 0
TOTAL EUROS
Previous Editions: ---
Games: 0Goals: 0
Attacker
CASSANO Antonio
Milan
Age: 29 yearsDebut: 12-11-2003
Games: 35 (8 Roma, 2 Real Madrid
10 Sampdoria, 15 Milan)
Goals: 10 (3 Roma, 0 Real Madrid,
2 Sampdoria, 5 Milan)
Captain: 1 (1 Milan)
EURO 2012 Games: 6Goals: 1
TOTAL EUROS
Previous Editions: 2004, 2008
Games: 13Goals: 3
Attacker
BONUCCI Leonardo
Juventus
Age: 25 years
Debut: 3-3-2010
Games: 20 (2 Bari, 18 Juventus)
Goals: 2 (1 Bari, 1 Juventus)
Captain: 0
EURO 2012
Games: 6Goals: 0
TOTAL EUROS
Previous Editions: ---
Games: 6Goals: 0
Defender
GIOVINCO Sebastian
Parma
Age: 25 years
Debut: 9-2-2011
Games: 10
Goals: 0
Captain: 0
EURO 2012
Games: 2Goals: 0
TOTAL EUROS
Previous Editions: ---
Games: 2Goals: 0
Attacker
20
1
2
3
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
19
PIRLO Andrea
Juventus
Age: 33 years
Debut: 7-9-2002
Games: 89 (74 Milan, 15 Juventus)
Goals: 10 (9 Milan, 1 Juventus)
Captain: 4 (4 Milan, 0 Juventus)
EURO 2012
Games: 6Goals: 1
TOTAL EUROS
Previous Editions: 2004, 2008
Games: 11Goals: 2
Midfielder
DIAMANTI Alessandro
Bologna
Age: 29 years
Debut: 17-11-2010
Games: 4 (1 Brescia, 3 Bologna)
Goals: 0
Captain: 0
EURO 2012
Games: 3Goals: 0
TOTAL EUROS
Previous Editions: ---
Games: 3Goals: 0
Midfielder
22
21
NOCERINO Antonio
Milan
Age: 27 years
Debut: 17-10-2007
Games: 13 (1 Juventus, 5 Palermo,
7 Milan)
Goals: 0Captain: 0
EURO 2012
Games: 2Goals: 0
TOTAL EUROS
Previous Editions: ---
Games: 2Goals: 0
Midfielder
National Coach
23
PRANDELLI Cesare
Age: 54 years
Debut:10-8-2010
Games: 26
Wins: 12
Draws: 8
Lost: 6
EURO 2012
Games: 6
TOTAL EUROS
Previous Editions: ---
Games: 6
2006 World Champion
Defender
2006 World Champion
2006 World Champion
2006 World Champion
OGBONNA Angelo O.
Torino
Age: 24 years
Debut: 11-11-2011
Games: 3
Goals: 0
Captain: 0
EURO 2012
Games: 0Goals: 0
TOTAL EUROS
Previous Editions: ---
Games: 0Goals: 0
MONTOLIVO Riccardo
Fiorentina
Age: 27 years
Debut: 17-10-2007
Games: 37
Goals: 1
Captain: 0
EURO 2012
Games: 4Goals: 0
TOTAL EUROS
Previous Editions: ---
Games: 4Goals: 0
Midfielder
DE SANCTIS Morgan
Napoli
Age: 35 years
Debut: 30-3-2005
Games: 5 (2 Udinese, 0 Sevilla,
1 Galatasaray, 2 Napoli)
Captain: 0
EURO 2012
Games: 0
TOTAL EUROS
Previous Editions: 2008
Games: 0Goals: 0
The other Azzurri in the 25-Men euro 2012 Azzurri Squad
Andrea
RANOCCHIA
(Inter)
Mattia
DESTRO
(Siena)
BETTING INVESTIGATION
18
4
Last Minute Reserve Azzurro for Euro 2012
Davide
ASTORI
(Cagliari)
Davide ASTORI was called back in the Azzurro Squad in Poland three days before the beginning of the competition as a Reserve due to Andrea Barzagli's injury. Due to the fact that Barzagli made positive progress in recuparating the injury, National Coach Cesare Prandelli decided to keep the player in the squad even though he will miss the first two matches. Thus Davide Astori was send back home..
24 JuneKiev (Ukr)
QUARTER FINAL
ITALY vs ENGLAND
0 - 0
(4 - 2 Penalty
Shoot-Out)
28 JuneWarsaw (Pol)
SEMI FINAL
ITALY vs GERMANY
2-1
1 July Kiev (Ukr)
FINAL
ITALY vs SPAIN
0-4
ITALY - RUNNER UP EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS
Mario Barwuah BALOTELLI
EURO 2012 Joint Top Scorer
EURO 2012 SQUAD
European Nations Championship Best 23 Players Squad
Goals: 0
