Italy men's national water polo team

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.

Italy
FINA codeITA
Nickname(s)Il Settebello
AssociationItalian Swimming Federation
ConfederationLEN (Europe)
Head coachSandro Campagna
Asst coachAmedeo Pomilio
Goran Volarević
CaptainFrancesco Di Fulvio
FINA ranking (since 2008)
Current8 (as of 9 August 2021)
Highest2 (2012, 2016)
Lowest9 (2008, 2009, 2010)
Olympic Games (team statistics)
Appearances20 (first in 1920)
Best result1st place, gold medalist(s) (1948, 1960, 1992)
World Championship
Appearances21 (first in 1973)
Best result1st place, gold medalist(s) (1978, 1994, 2011, 2019)
World Cup
Appearances12 (first in 1979)
Best result1st place, gold medalist(s) (1993)
World League
Appearances19 (first in 2002)
Best result1st place, gold medalist(s) (2022)
European Championship
Appearances33 (first in 1927)
Best result1st place, gold medalist(s) (1947, 1993, 1995)
Europa Cup
Appearances1 (first in 2018)
Best result3rd place, bronze medalist(s) (2018)
Mediterranean Games
Appearances17 (first in 1955)
Best result1st place, gold medalist(s) (1955, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1991, 1993)
Media
Websitefedernuoto.it
Medal record
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 1948 London Team
Gold medal – first place 1960 Rome Team
Gold medal – first place 1992 Barcelona Team
Silver medal – second place 1976 Montreal Team
Silver medal – second place 2012 London Team
Bronze medal – third place 1952 Helsinki Team
Bronze medal – third place 1996 Atlanta Team
Bronze medal – third place 2016 Rio Team
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 1978 West Berlin Team
Gold medal – first place 1994 Rome Team
Gold medal – first place 2011 Shanghai Team
Gold medal – first place 2019 Gwangju Team
Silver medal – second place 1986 Madrid Team
Silver medal – second place 2003 Barcelona Team
Silver medal – second place 2022 Budapest Team
Silver medal – second place2024 DohaTeam
Bronze medal – third place 1975 Cali Team
World Cup
Gold medal – first place 1993 Athens
Silver medal – second place 1989 West Berlin
Silver medal – second place 1995 Atlanta
Silver medal – second place 1999 Sydney
Silver medal – second place 2023 Los Angeles
Bronze medal – third place 1983 Malibu
World League
Gold medal – first place 2022 Strasbourg
Silver medal – second place 2003 New York
Silver medal – second place 2011 Florence
Silver medal – second place 2017 Ruza
Bronze medal – third place 2012 Almaty
European Championship
Gold medal – first place 1947 Monte Carlo
Gold medal – first place 1993 Sheffield
Gold medal – first place 1995 Vienna
Silver medal – second place 2001 Budapest
Silver medal – second place 2010 Zagreb
Bronze medal – third place 1954 Turin
Bronze medal – third place 1977 Jönköping
Bronze medal – third place 1987 Strasbourg
Bronze medal – third place 1989 Bonn
Bronze medal – third place 1999 Florence
Bronze medal – third place 2014 Budapest
Bronze medal – third place 2024 Eindhoven
Europa Cup
Bronze medal – third place 2018 Rijeka
Mediterranean Games
Gold medal – first place 1955 BarcelonaTeam
Gold medal – first place 1963 NaplesTeam
Gold medal – first place 1975 AlgiersTeam
Gold medal – first place 1987 LatakiaTeam
Gold medal – first place 1991 AthensTeam
Gold medal – first place 1993 Languedoc-RoussillonTeam
Silver medal – second place 1959 BeirutTeam
Silver medal – second place 1967 TunisTeam
Silver medal – second place 1971 İzmirTeam
Silver medal – second place 1979 SplitTeam
Silver medal – second place 2001 TunisTeam
Silver medal – second place 2005 AlmeríaTeam
Bronze medal – third place 1983 CasablancaTeam
Bronze medal – third place 2009 PescaraTeam
Last updated: 5 September 2021

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.

History
The Italian water polo team, of the early 1950s

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.

Competitive record
Competition1st place, gold medalist(s)2nd place, silver medalist(s)3rd place, bronze medalist(s)Total
Olympic Games 3238
World Championship 4419
World Cup 1416
World League 1315
European Championship 32712
Europa Cup 0011
Universiade 44614
Mediterranean Games 66214
Total22252269

Results

Olympic Games
Year[2] Position Pld W D L
France 1900 Did not participate
United States 1904
United Kingdom 1908
Sweden 1912
Belgium 192010th2002
France 192411th1001
Netherlands 1928 Did not participate
United States 1932
Germany 1936
United Kingdom 19481st place, gold medalist(s)7610
Finland 19523rd place, bronze medalist(s)8602
Australia 19564th6303
Italy 19601st place, gold medalist(s)6510
Japan 19644th6303
Mexico 19684th9612
West Germany 19726th6323
Canada 19762nd place, silver medalist(s)8431
Soviet Union 19808th8413
United States 19847th7421
South Korea 19887th7322
Spain 19921st place, gold medalist(s)7520
United States 19963rd place, bronze medalist(s)8701
Australia 20005th8602
Greece 20048th7403
China 20089th8404
United Kingdom 20122nd place, silver medalist(s)8512
Brazil 20163rd place, bronze medalist(s)8503
Japan 20207th8422
France 2024Qualified
Total22/28143871640

World Championship
Year Position Pld W D L
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia 19734th8503
Colombia 19753rd place, bronze medalist(s)8422
West Germany 19781st place, gold medalist(s)8530
Ecuador 19829th7502
Spain 19862nd place, silver medalist(s)7502
Australia 19916th7403
Italy 19941st place, gold medalist(s)7700
Australia 19985th8512
Japan 20014th8413
Spain 20032nd place, silver medalist(s)6501
Canada 20058th7205
Australia 20075th7502
Italy 200911th6204
China 20111st place, gold medalist(s)6600
Spain 20134th7502
Russia 20154th7313
Hungary 20176th7413
South Korea 20191st place, gold medalist(s)6600
Hungary 20222nd place, silver medalist(s)6402
Japan 20235th6501
Qatar 20242nd place, silver medalist(s)7520
Total21/21147961140

FINA World Cup
  • 1979 – 6th place[2]
  • 1983 – 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Bronze medal
  • 1985 – 5th place
  • 1987 – 5th place
  • 1989 – 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Silver medal
  • 1993 – 1st place, gold medalist(s) Gold medal
  • 1995 – 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Silver medal
  • 1997 – 5th place
  • 1999 – 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Silver medal
  • 2002 – 4th place
  • 2006 – 5th place
  • 2023 – 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Silver medal

FINA World League
  • 2002 – Semi-final round[2]
  • 2003 – 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Silver medal
  • 2004 – 4th place
  • 2005 – Semi-final round
  • 2006 – Preliminary round
  • 2007 – Preliminary round
  • 2008 – 7th place
  • 2009 – 5th place
  • 2010 – Preliminary round
  • 2011 – 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Silver medal
  • 2012 – 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Bronze medal
  • 2013 – Preliminary round
  • 2014 – Preliminary round
  • 2015 – 7th place
  • 2016 – 4th place
  • 2017 – 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Silver medal
  • 2018 – Did not participate
  • 2019 – Preliminary round
  • 2020 – 4th place
  • 2022 – 1st place, gold medalist(s) Gold medal

European Championship
  • 1927 – 12th place
  • 1934 – 10th place
  • 1938 – 5th place
  • 1947 – 1st place, gold medalist(s) Gold medal
  • 1950 – 4th place
  • 1954 – 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Bronze medal
  • 1958 – 4th place
  • 1962 – 8th place
  • 1966 – 4th place
  • 1970 – 4th place
  • 1974 – 5th place
  • 1977 – 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Bronze medal
  • 1981 – 6th place
  • 1983 – 7th place
  • 1985 – 4th place
  • 1987 – 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Bronze medal
  • 1989 – 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Bronze medal
  • 1991 – 4th place
  • 1993 – 1st place, gold medalist(s) Gold medal
  • 1995 – 1st place, gold medalist(s) Gold medal
  • 1997 – 6th place
  • 1999 – 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Bronze medal
  • 2001 – 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Silver medal
  • 2003 – 9th place
  • 2006 – 5th place
  • 2008 – 5th place
  • 2010 – 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Silver medal
  • 2012 – 4th place
  • 2014 – 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Bronze medal
  • 2016 – 6th place
  • 2018 – 4th place
  • 2020 – 6th place
  • 2022 – 4th place
  • 2024 – 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Bronze medal
  • 2026 – Qualified

Europa Cup
  • 2018 – 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Bronze medal

Mediterranean Games
  • 1951 – Unknown
  • 1955 – 1st place, gold medalist(s) Gold medal
  • 1959 – 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Silver medal
  • 1963 – 1st place, gold medalist(s) Gold medal
  • 1967 – 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Silver medal
  • 1971 – 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Silver medal
  • 1975 – 1st place, gold medalist(s) Gold medal
  • 1979 – 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Silver medal
  • 1983 – 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Bronze medal
  • 1987 – 1st place, gold medalist(s) Gold medal
  • 1991 – 1st place, gold medalist(s) Gold medal
  • 1993 – 1st place, gold medalist(s) Gold medal
  • 1997 – 4th place
  • 2001 – 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Silver medal
  • 2005 – 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Silver medal
  • 2009 – 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Bronze medal
  • 2013 – 4th place
  • 2018 – 5th place
  • 2022 – 4th place

Current squad

Roster for the 2024 World Championships.[3]

Head coach: Sandro Campagna

  • 1 Marco Del Lungo GK
  • 2 Francesco Di Fulvio FP
  • 3 Luca Damonte FP
  • 4 Luca Marziali FP
  • 5 Andrea Fondelli FP
  • 6 Giacomo Cannella FP
  • 7 Vincenzo Renzuto FP
  • 8 Gonzalo Echenique FP
  • 9 Nicholas Presciutti FP
  • 10 Lorenzo Bruni FP
  • 11 Edoardo Di Somma FP
  • 12 Alessandro Velotto FP
  • 13 Gianmarco Nicosia GK
  • 14 Francesco Condemi FP
  • 15 Matteo Iocchi FP

See also
  • Italy men's Olympic water polo team records and statistics
  • Italy women's national water polo team
  • List of Olympic champions in men's water polo
  • List of men's Olympic water polo tournament records and statistics
  • List of world champions in men's water polo

References
  1. "FEDERAZIONE - Federazione Italiana Nuoto". Archived from the original on 5 January 2011. Retrieved 20 May 2013. History of Italian Water Polo
  2. "HistoFINA – Water polo medalists and statistics" (PDF). fina.org. FINA. September 2019. pp. 4, 14, 25, 40, 48. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 August 2021. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  3. "21st World Aquatics World Championships Men's Water Polo Team Roster ITA" (PDF). Omega Timing. 5 February 2024. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
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