The records just keep coming for Roberto Mancini’s Italy this summer, who are now unbeaten in their last 31 games and have won each of their four so far at Euro 2020.
Gli Azzurri, in reaching the quarter-finals of this summer’s European Championship, have won a lot of plaudits for their attractive brand of football, their relentless pressing and what they do in possession.
But prior to conceding to Sasa Kalajdzic in the 114th minute against Austria at Wembley, in a 2-1 win in the last 16 of Euro 2020, Italy had gone 1,168 minutes without conceding a single goal. In doing so, Mancini’s Azzurri set a new world record.
The run began on October 14, 2020, after Donny van de Beek had scored for the Netherlands in Bergamo in a 1-1 draw.
The previous record was also held by Italy between 1972 and 1974 under coach Ferruccio Valcareggi. Then, Gli Azzurri didn’t concede a goal for 1,143 minutes.
Dino Zoff played every minute of that incredible run, but this time the minutes have been shared by Gianluigi Donnarumma (987), Salvatore Sirigu (91), Alessio Cragno (63), and Alex Meret (27).
