Italy's Football Record Against Croatia: A Detailed Overview

Head-to-Head Match History

Italy and Croatia have faced each other a total of 12 times at the international level, with Italy holding a slight advantage with 5 wins, 3 draws, and 4 losses.

Notable Matches

* **1998 FIFA World Cup:** Croatia defeated Italy 2-1 in the group stage. * **2004 UEFA European Championship:** Italy and Croatia drew 2-2 in the group stage. * **2012 UEFA European Championship:** Italy won 1-0 in the group stage. * **2014 FIFA World Cup:** Croatia defeated Italy 3-1 in the group stage. * **2020 UEFA European Championship:** Italy and Croatia drew 0-0 in the round of 16 (Italy advanced on penalties).

Performance Analysis

Italy's Dominance

Italy has generally enjoyed success against Croatia, particularly in recent years. The Azzurri have won 3 of their last 4 matches against the Vatreni.

Croatia's Resurgence

However, Croatia has shown signs of improvement in recent tournaments. Their victory over Italy in the 2014 World Cup was a major upset, and they also held the Italians to a draw in the 2020 Euros.

Key Players

Some of the key players who have featured in the Italy-Croatia rivalry include: * **Italy:** Gianluigi Buffon, Leonardo Bonucci, Giorgio Chiellini, Andrea Pirlo * **Croatia:** Luka Modrić, Ivan Perišić, Mateo Kovačić, Mario Mandžukić

Conclusion

The Italy-Croatia rivalry is a competitive and closely contested one. While Italy holds a slight edge in head-to-head matches, Croatia has emerged as a major force in recent years. With both teams featuring talented players and ambitious coaches, future encounters between these two nations promise to be thrilling and unpredictable.