Italy were looking to defend the European Championship crown following their resounding success at the last edition back in the summer of 2021. It didn't go as planned.
After their recent failure to qualify for the 2022 World Cup, plenty of pressure was placed on Italy to deliver the goods in Germany.
That always looked easier said than done. The Italians have a brand new look from the side the that lifted the trophy at Wembley Stadium three years ago, with veterans Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci having both moved on, while Roberto Mancini has been replaced in the dugout by former Napoli boss Luciano Spalletti.
Spalletti kick-started a new project with the Italy national team upon his arrival in September of last year, exciting fans with his positive brand of football, which had indeed raised hopes for the Azzurri at this year's tournament.
Things hardly started as expected, when the Azzurri conceded the fastest-ever goal at a European Championship in their first match against Albania, but they recovered to win 2-1.
After falling to a 1-0 defeat against Spain in their second group game, Italy needed a last-minute equaliser against Croatia to secure their spot as runners-up and reach Round of 16.
Their title defence ended at the first hurdle of the knockout phase. They were outclassed by Switzerland in a 2-0 defeat that saw them eliminated from the tournament.
MORE: Euro 2024 full schedule of matches and latest results, updated LIVE
When is Italy's next Euro 2024 game?
Italy will not play again at Euro 2024, having been eliminated from the competition following a 2-0 defeat to Switzerland in the Round of 16 on June 29.
MORE: Who will win Euro 2024 golden boot?
Italy Euro 2024 squad
Ages and caps correct at the start of Euro 2024 on June 14
| Position | Player | Club | Age | Caps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GK | Gianluigi Donnarumma | PSG (FRA) | 25 | 62 |
| GK | Alex Meret | Napoli (ITA) | 27 | 3 |
| GK | Guglielmo Vicario | Tottenham (ENG) | 27 | 2 |
| DEF | Alessandro Bastoni | Inter Milan (ITA) | 25 | 23 |
| DEF | Raoul Bellanova | Torino (ITA) | 24 | 2 |
| DEF | Alessandro Buongiorno | Torino (ITA) | 25 | 4 |
| DEF | Riccardo Calafiori | Bologna (ITA) | 22 | 2 |
| DEF | Andrea Cambiaso | Juventus (ITA) | 24 | 4 |
| DEF | Matteo Darmian | Inter Milan (ITA) | 34 | 43 |
| DEF | Giovanni Di Lorenzo | Napoli (ITA) | 30 | 35 |
| DEF | Federico Dimarco | Inter Milan (ITA) | 26 | 19 |
| DEF | Federico Gatti | Juventus (ITA) | 25 | 3 |
| DEF | Gianluca Mancini | AS Roma (ITA) | 28 | 13 |
| MID | Nicolo Barella | Inter Milan (ITA) | 27 | 53 |
| MID | Bryan Cristante | AS Roma (ITA) | 29 | 40 |
| MID | Nicolo Fagioli | Juventus (ITA) | 23 | 3 |
| MID | Michael Folorunsho | Verona (ITA) | 26 | 1 |
| MID | Davide Frattesi | Inter Milan (ITA) | 24 | 15 |
| MID | Jorginho | Arsenal (ENG) | 32 | 54 |
| MID | Lorenzo Pellegrini | AS Roma (ITA) | 27 | 30 |
| FWD | Federico Chiesa | Juventus (ITA) | 26 | 47 |
| FWD | Stephan El Shaarawy | AS Roma (ITA) | 31 | 31 |
| FWD | Giacomo Raspadori | Napoli (ITA) | 24 | 28 |
| FWD | Mateo Retegui | Genoa (ITA) | 25 | 8 |
| FWD | Gianluca Scamacca | Atalanta (ITA) | 25 | 16 |
| FWD | Mattia Zaccagni | Lazio (ITA) | 28 | 5 |
Italy's European Championship record
Italy's Euro 2020 triumph was the nation's second-ever European Championship title.
After cruising through their group with three straightforward wins, then-Italy boss Roberto Mancini steered his side past Austria, Belgium and Spain in the knockout stages, before shattering England's hopes in the final.
Their previous title arrived as hosts in 1968, when the finals were a four-team knockout affair.
| Year | Host | Stage Reached | Eliminated By |
| 1960 | France | Did not enter | — |
| 1964 | Spain | Did not qualify | — |
| 1968 | Italy | Winners | — |
| 1972 | Belgium | Did not qualify | — |
| 1976 | Yugoslavia | Did not qualify | — |
| 1980 | Italy | Semifinal | Czechoslovakia |
| 1984 | France | Did not qualify | — |
| 1988 | West Germany | Semifinal | Soviet Union |
| 1992 | Sweden | Did not qualify | — |
| 1996 | England | Group Stage | Germany/Czech Republic |
| 2000 | Belgium/Netherlands | Runners-Up | France |
| 2004 | Portugal | Group Stage | Sweden/Denmark |
| 2008 | Austria/Switzerland | Quarterfinal | Spain |
| 2012 | Poland/Ukraine | Runners-Up | Spain |
| 2016 | France | Quarterfinal | Germany |
| 2020 | Europe | Winners | — |
| 2024 | Germany | Round of 16 | Switzerland |
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