Why has Italy won the World Cup the most amongst European nations?

Let me tell you , Germany now has the same number of world cups as that of Italy. But yes, When it comes to major achievements in the international arenas, no nation has won as much as the Mediterranean country. So what is the secret behind this success?

Madonna once famously flaunted a slogan T-Shirt with the caption: "Italians do it better". And while the Princess of Pop was suggestively alluding to another physically popular pastime, she could just as well have been referring to soccer.

Tactical Supremacy

On a purely footballing level, there is little doubt that Italy’s tactical supremacy has been a key weapon.Whether it be Helenio Herrera’s Catenaccio, Sacchi’s total pressing or Luciano Spalletti’s ‘False 9’, the peninsula has long been at the forefront of strategic innovation.

There is a unique obsession with tactics in Italy. Its importance is drilled into children from a young age and Jose Mourinho once amusingly remarked that “everyone in Italy thinks they are a coach.” While fans in various other nations find tactics boring, the average Italian is fascinated by the subject and recognizes its significance. It is only natural that the country breeds great footballing brains in both a playing and coaching capacity.

Italy is a country that values defenders above any other nation that has ever played association football. Defence has been the cornerstone of their success over the country's illustrious history in the sport. Stoppers such as Bonucci , Chiellini , Baresi, Maldini, Alessandro Nesta and Fabio Cannavaro were celebrated for their understanding of the game, reading the play three or four moves ahead of the action. This has led to the formation of countless impenetrable back lines. Not to mention their legendary goalkeeper Gigi Buffon.

They even have world renowned coaching centres for managers like the Coverciano National Coaching Center. Coverciano teaches its students to be strategically adaptable and it is here where Italy’s tactical superiority has really paid dividends. Whereas teams and clubs from many other nations have for much of their existence identified themselves with one particular style or system – Netherlands with 4-3-3, Brazil with attractive attacking play, Spain with short passing – Italy has, despite the occasional urge to resort to defense at decisive moments, always been experts at changing its skin.

Mentality of winning at all costs

Also pivotal is Italy’s professionalism.Stereotypes are a dangerous thing, as every human being is different, but no population has mastered the dark arts quite like the Italians.The Florentine Renaissance philosopher Niccolo Machiavelli wrote that it is the result that counts, even if it is obtained via methods that are cynical and calculating. On the football pitch, offenses such as shirt-pulling, simulation, tactical fouls and other forms of gamesmanship, is regarded not as cheating but as a skill.

Marco Materazzi's verbal goading of Zinedine Zidane in the 2006 World Cup final led to the iconic midfielder being infamously sent off for headbutting the defender in extra-time. Without its captain and leader, France lost on penalties

And this became one of the iconic images of football.

"When an Italian tells me it’s pasta on the plate I check under the sauce to make sure. They are the inventors of the smokescreen,” former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson once joked.

Why has Italy won the World Cup the most amongst European nations?

Let me tell you , Germany now has the same number of world cups as that of Italy. But yes, When it comes to major achievements in the international arenas, no nation has won as much as the Mediterranean country. So what is the secret behind this success?

Madonna once famously flaunted a slogan T-Shirt with the caption: "Italians do it better". And while the Princess of Pop was suggestively alluding to another physically popular pastime, she could just as well have been referring to soccer.

Tactical Supremacy

On a purely footballing level, there is little doubt that Italy’s tactical supremacy has been a key weapon.Whether it be Helenio Herrera’s Catenaccio, Sacchi’s total pressing or Luciano Spalletti’s ‘False 9’, the peninsula has long been at the forefront of strategic innovation.

There is a unique obsession with tactics in Italy. Its importance is drilled into children from a young age and Jose Mourinho once amusingly remarked that “everyone in Italy thinks they are a coach.” While fans in various other nations find tactics boring, the average Italian is fascinated by the subject and recognizes its significance. It is only natural that the country breeds great footballing brains in both a playing and coaching capacity.

Italy is a country that values defenders above any other nation that has ever played association football. Defence has been the cornerstone of their success over the country's illustrious history in the sport. Stoppers such as Bonucci , Chiellini , Baresi, Maldini, Alessandro Nesta and Fabio Cannavaro were celebrated for their understanding of the game, reading the play three or four moves ahead of the action. This has led to the formation of countless impenetrable back lines. Not to mention their legendary goalkeeper Gigi Buffon.

They even have world renowned coaching centres for managers like the Coverciano National Coaching Center. Coverciano teaches its students to be strategically adaptable and it is here where Italy’s tactical superiority has really paid dividends. Whereas teams and clubs from many other nations have for much of their existence identified themselves with one particular style or system – Netherlands with 4-3-3, Brazil with attractive attacking play, Spain with short passing – Italy has, despite the occasional urge to resort to defense at decisive moments, always been experts at changing its skin.

Mentality of winning at all costs

Also pivotal is Italy’s professionalism.Stereotypes are a dangerous thing, as every human being is different, but no population has mastered the dark arts quite like the Italians.The Florentine Renaissance philosopher Niccolo Machiavelli wrote that it is the result that counts, even if it is obtained via methods that are cynical and calculating. On the football pitch, offenses such as shirt-pulling, simulation, tactical fouls and other forms of gamesmanship, is regarded not as cheating but as a skill.

Marco Materazzi's verbal goading of Zinedine Zidane in the 2006 World Cup final led to the iconic midfielder being infamously sent off for headbutting the defender in extra-time. Without its captain and leader, France lost on penalties.

And this became one of the iconic images of football.

“When an Italian tells me it’s pasta on the plate I check under the sauce to make sure. They are the inventors of the smokescreen,” former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson once joked.

Football is a religion

This desire to win is a key factor in the Italian success story. Along with Brazil, Italy is arguably the only country in the world in which football can truly be classed as a religion.Male or female, young or old, upper or lower class – everyone in Italy knows about football. It is simply impossible to escape the fervor.

"Italians lose wars as if they were football matches, and football matches as if they were wars" - Winston Churchill

Despite a 1986 government study revealing that 62 percent of Italians did not feel part of a national collective group, there is one thing that unifies these ruptured regions. And that is the Azzurri. A record 32 million Italians watched the 1982 World Cup final win over West Germany on television. When the World Cup begins, all divisions are forgotten – and certainly Mussolini was influential in creating this combined passion as under his dictatorship football became Italy’s national sport and the country experienced great pride in winning successive World Cups in the 1930s.

Winning combination

If Churchill were alive today, he could have added that Italy has still never lost a competitive football match to Germany.(Except one in the Euro 2016 where Germany knocked out Italy on penalties) A statistic that, given the DFB’s equally outstanding production of fantastic footballers, can only be explained by Italy’s superior tactical and mental qualities.

Indeed, there are four main characteristics that define the strength of a football player or team; tactical, mental, technical and physical. In the first category, Brazil will always reign supreme. When you blend all four categories together, it is easy to see why Italy has been the world’s most successful football nation. Many other countries have for long periods been completely deficient in at least one of these areas; England technically and Spain mentally, for example.

Italy has been the master tactically and mentally and more than held its own elsewhere. It is a winning combination that has produced results even Machiavelli would have been proud of. Love them or hate them, Italians do it better.