The Italy national water polo team represents Italy in men's international water polo competitions and is controlled by Federnuoto (the Italian Aquatics Federation). The national men's team has the nickname of "Settebello", a reference to both the Italian card game scopa and a standard water polo team having seven players.
The Italian men's water polo team has won 8 Olympic medals, 7 World Championships, 5 World Cup, 11 European Championships medals and 3 World League medals, making them one of the most successful men's water polo teams in the world. They have won a combined twelve championships in those five competitions, with the World League, the last competition which Italy won in 2022.
Water Polo became popular in Italy soon after 1899, when an exhibition match was played at the Bath of Diana in Milan, with the match being described in the press as: "like football but more tiring and difficult, requiring energy and strength beyond the ordinary". [1]
Although a domestic league was soon established, the Italy national water polo team did not first compete at the Olympic Games until the 1920 Olympics, in Antwerp, Belgium, where they were forced to forfeit their first round match, before losing 5–1 to Greece and being eliminated.
The national team first fulfilled their potential at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London, England, when they went undefeated for the whole tournament to claim their first gold medal in the discipline.
The Italian team reclaimed the title of Olympic champions in front of a home crowd at the 1960 Olympics in Rome, Italy. Italy won their third Olympic title at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain, beating the hosts and tournament favourites Spain 9–8 after extra time in a thrilling final. Only Hungary (9), and Great Britain (4) have more Olympic titles.
The Italy national side have also won four World Championships, in 1978, 1994, 2011 and 2019, and the World Cup once in 1993. Italy also claimed their first European Championship in 1947.
Competition | Total | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Olympic Games | 3 | 2 | 3 | 8 |
World Championship | 4 | 4 | 1 | 9 |
World Cup | 1 | 4 | 1 | 6 |
World League | 1 | 3 | 1 | 5 |
European Championship | 3 | 2 | 7 | 12 |
Europa Cup | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Universiade | 4 | 4 | 6 | 14 |
Mediterranean Games | 6 | 6 | 2 | 14 |
Total | 22 | 25 | 22 | 69 |
Year [2] | Position | Pld | W | D | L |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1900 | Did not participate | ||||
1904 | |||||
1908 | |||||
1912 | |||||
1920 | 10th | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
1924 | 11th | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
1928 | Did not participate | ||||
1932 | |||||
1936 | |||||
1948 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 | |
1952 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 2 | |
1956 | 4th | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
1960 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | |
1964 | 4th | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
1968 | 4th | 9 | 6 | 1 | 2 |
1972 | 6th | 6 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
1976 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | |
1980 | 8th | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 |
1984 | 7th | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
1988 | 7th | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
1992 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 0 | |
1996 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 1 | |
2000 | 5th | 8 | 6 | 0 | 2 |
2004 | 8th | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 |
2008 | 9th | 8 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
2012 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | |
2016 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | |
2020 | 7th | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 |
2024 | Qualified | ||||
Total | 22/28 | 143 | 87 | 16 | 40 |
Year | Position | Pld | W | D | L |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1973 | 4th | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 |
1975 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | |
1978 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 0 | |
1982 | 9th | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2 |
1986 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2 | |
1991 | 6th | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 |
1994 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | |
1998 | 5th | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 |
2001 | 4th | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 |
2003 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | |
2005 | 8th | 7 | 2 | 0 | 5 |
2007 | 5th | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2 |
2009 | 11th | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
2011 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | |
2013 | 4th | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2 |
2015 | 4th | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 |
2017 | 6th | 7 | 4 | 1 | 3 |
2019 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | |
2022 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | |
2023 | 5th | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 |
2024 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 0 | |
Total | 21/21 | 147 | 96 | 11 | 40 |
Roster for the 2024 World Championships. [3]
Head coach: Sandro Campagna
The Australian national water polo team represents Australia in men's international water polo competitions and is controlled by Water Polo Australia. The national men's team has the nickname of "The Sharks". It is organised into the Asia/Oceania regional group.
The Australia national women's water polo team represents Australia in women's international water polo competitions and is controlled by Water Polo Australia. It was one of the most successful women's water polo teams in the world. It is currently organised into the Asia/Oceania regional group.
The United States women's national water polo team represents the United States in international women's water polo competitions and friendly matches. It is one of the leading teams in the world since the late 1990s.
The Canada women's national water polo team represents Canada in women's international water polo competitions and friendly matches. The team is overseen by Water Polo Canada, a member of the Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA). In 1981 the team claimed its first international prize, winning the FINA Water Polo World Cup.
The Italy women's national water polo team represents Italy in international women's water polo competitions and friendly matches. The team is one of the leading teams in Europe since the mid-1990s, claiming the title at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. The squad is nicknamed the Setterosa.
The Spain women's national water polo team represents Spain in women's international water polo competitions and it is controlled by Real Federación Española de Natación.
The Netherlands national water polo team represents the Netherlands in men's international water polo competitions and friendly matches. The team won bronze medals at the 1948 Summer Olympics and the 1976 Summer Olympics.
The Hungary women's national water polo team represents Hungary in international women's water polo competitions and friendly matches. The team is one of the leading teams in Europe since the early 1990s, claiming the world title at the 1994 World Aquatics Championships in Rome, Italy and at the 2005 World Aquatics Championships in Montreal, Canada.
The Brazil men's national water polo team represents Brazil in international men's water polo competitions and friendly matches.
The Canada men's national water polo team represents Canada in international men's water polo competitions and friendly matches. The team is overseen by Water Polo Canada, a member of the Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA). The team qualified for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, PR China by finishing fourth at 2008 Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Romania.
The Hungary men's national water polo team represents Hungary in international men's water polo competitions and is controlled by the Hungarian Water Polo Association. It is considered the world's top power in the history of water polo, having won 16 Olympic, 12 World Championship, 10 FINA World Cup, eight FINA World League, 26 European Championship and 17 Summer Universiade medals for a total of 91.
The China women's national water polo team represents China in international women's water polo competitions and friendly matches. It is one of the leading teams in Asia.
The China men's national water polo team represents China in international water polo competitions and friendly matches. It is one of the leading teams in Asia.
The Greece men's national water polo team represents Greece in international men's water polo competitions and it is organized and run by the Hellenic Swimming Federation.
The Germany national water polo team represents Germany in international men's water polo competitions and friendly matches. It is controlled by German Swimming Federation.
The United States men's national water polo team is the representative for the United States of America in international men's water polo.
The Romania men's national water polo team is the representative for Romania in international men's water polo.
The Russia men's national water polo team is the representative for Russia in international men's water polo. The team is a successor of the Soviet water polo team.
The France men's national water polo team is the representative for France in international men's water polo.
The Japan men's national water polo team is the representative for Japan in international men's water polo.