Italy men's national water polo team
| Nickname(s) | Settebello |
|---|---|
| Association | Federazione Italiana Nuoto |
| Confederation | LEN (Europe) |
| Head coach | Alessandro Campagna |
| Asst coach | Alessandro Amato Amedeo Pomilio |
| Captain | Stefano Tempesti |
| FINA code | ITA |
| Olympic Games | |
| Appearances | 20 (first in 1920) |
| Best result |  (1948, 1960, 1992) |
| World Championships | |
| Appearances | 16 (first in 1973) |
| Best result | (1978, 1994, 2011) |
| World League | |
| Appearances | 7 (first in 2002) |
| Best result |  2003 |
| World Cup | |
| Appearances | 11 (first in 1979) |
| Best result | (1993) |
| European Championship | |
| Appearances | 30 (first in 1927) |
| Best result | (1947, 1993, 1995) |
| Appearances | (first in 1955) |
| Best result | (1955, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1991, 1993) |
The Italian 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".
The Italian men's water polo team has won 6 Olympic medals, 5 World Championships, 5 World Cup, 10 European Championships medals, and one World League medal, making them one of the most successful men's water polo teams in the world. They have won a combined six championships in those four competitions, with the World League being the only competition which Italy has yet to win.
Contents
History
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 Italian 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 Italian national side have also won three World Championships, in 1978, 1994 and 2011,and the World Cup once in 1993. Italy also claimed their first European Championship in 1995.
Palmarès
| Competition | |
|
 |
Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olympic Games | 3 | 2 | 2 | 7 |
| World Championship | 3 | 2 | 1 | 6 |
| European Championship | 3 | 2 | 6 | 11 |
| Universiade | 3 | 3 | 4 | 10 |
| Mediterranean Games | 6 | 6 | 2 | 14 |
| Total | 18 | 15 | 15 | 48 |
Results
Olympic Games
| Year | Position |
|---|---|
 1920 |
11 |
 1924 |
10 |
 1928 |
Didn't participate |
 1932 |
Didn't participate |
 1936 |
Didn't participate |
 1948 |
|
 1952 |
|
 1956 |
4 |
 1960 |
|
 1964 |
4 |
 1968 |
4 |
 1972 |
8 |
 1976 |
|
 1980 |
8 |
| 1984 |
7 |
 1988 |
7 |
 1992 |
|
| 1996 |
|
| 2000 |
5 |
 2004 |
8 |
 2008 |
9 |
| 2012 |
|
 2016 |
Qualified |
World Championship
- 1973 — 4th place
- 1975 — Bronze medal
- 1978 — Gold medal
- 1982 — 9th place
- 1986 — Silver medal
- 1991 — 6th place
- 1994 — Gold medal
- 1998 — 5th place
- 2001 — 4th place
- 2003 — Silver medal
- 2005 — 8th place
- 2007 — 5th place
- 2009 — 11th place
- 2011 — Gold medal
- 2013 — 4th place
- 2015 — 4th place
FINA World League
- 2002 — Semifinal round
- 2003 — Silver medal
- 2004 — 4th place
- 2005 — Semifinal round
- 2006 — Preliminary round
- 2007 — Preliminary round
- 2008 — 7th place
- 2009 — 5th place
- 2010 — Preliminary round
- 2011 — Silver medal
- 2012 — Bronze medal
- 2013 — Preliminary round
- 2014 — Preliminary round
- 2015 — 7th place
FINA World Cup
- 1979 — 6th place
- 1983 — Bronze medal
- 1985 — 5th place
- 1987 — 5th place
- 1989 — Silver medal
- 1993 — Gold medal
- 1995 — Silver medal
- 1997 — 5th place
- 1999 — Silver medal
- 2002 — 4th place
- 2006 — 5th place
Current squad
Squad for the 2016 Men's European Water Polo Championship.
| No. | Name | Date of birth | Position | L/R | Height | Weight | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stefano Tempesti (c) | 9 June 1979 | Goalkeeper | 205 cm (6 ft 9 in) | 97 kg (214 lb) | Pro Recco |
|
| 2 | Francesco Di Fulvio | 15 August 1993 | 188 cm (6 ft 2 in) | 82 kg (181 lb) | Pro Recco |
||
| 3 | Niccolò Gitto | 12 October 1986 | 189 cm (6 ft 2 in) | 76 kg (168 lb) | Pro Recco |
||
| 4 | Pietro Figlioli | 29 May 1984 | 192 cm (6 ft 4 in) | 97 kg (214 lb) | Pro Recco |
||
| 5 | Alex Giorgetti | 24 December 1987 | 186 cm (6 ft 1 in) | 78 kg (172 lb) | Pro Recco |
||
| 6 | Michael Bodegas | 3 May 1987 | Centre Forward | 192 cm (6 ft 4 in) | 102 kg (225 lb) | Pro Recco |
|
| 7 | Massimo Giacoppo | 10 May 1983 | 184 cm (6 ft 0 in) | 92 kg (203 lb) | Pro Recco |
||
| 8 | Valentino Gallo | 17 July 1985 | 193 cm (6 ft 4 in) | 92 kg (203 lb) | Posillipo |
||
| 9 | Christian Presciutti | 27 November 1982 | 185 cm (6 ft 1 in) | 84 kg (185 lb) | AN Brescia |
||
| 10 | Stefano Luongo | 5 January 1990 | 186 cm (6 ft 1 in) | 87 kg (192 lb) | Acquachiara |
||
| 11 | Matteo Aicardi | 19 April 1986 | Centre Forward | 192 cm (6 ft 4 in) | 104 kg (229 lb) | Pro Recco |
|
| 12 | Fabio Baraldi | 21 March 1990 | 199 cm (6 ft 6 in) | 110 kg (240 lb) | Canottieri Napoli |
||
| 13 | Marco Del Lungo | 1 March 1990 | Goalkeeper | 190 cm (6 ft 3 in) | 100 kg (220 lb) | AN Brescia |
|
| Head coach: Alessandro Campagna | |||||||
References
- ↑ http://www.federnuoto.it/federazione.asp?p=testo&id=40 History of Italian Water Polo
External links
|
| Unified | |
|---|---|
| Men | |
| Women | |
| At the multi-sport events | |
