Italy penalty shootout record: How often have they won & lost?

Italy are one of the most successful teams in international football, with a long history of competing at the business end of major tournaments.

They have competed in their fair share of penalty shootouts along the way and have even had to make the dreaded walk in two World Cup finals.

Italy have been in 10 penalty shootouts at major tournaments and they have won four of them, losing six.

Of the 10 shootouts they have contested, six of them have come at the European Championship and four at the World Cup.

Two of their penalty shootouts have come in the World Cup final - they lost to Brazil in 1994 and won against France in 2006.

Interestingly, Italy lost the first four penalty shootouts they were involved in, suffering defeat at the hands of Czechoslovakia, Argentina, Brazil and France.

Their first penalty shootout victory came at Euro 2000, when they beat the Netherlands in the semi-final. Since then, their record in shootouts has been good, winning three more times in five contests.

While it would be glib to suggest that Italy have become uniquely adept at winning penalty shootouts, with four wins from six since the turn of the century, they win two times out of three.

There is no doubt that they know how to navigate them, regularly producing players who seem at ease with the pressure of taking penalties.

Similarly, the demeanour of Giorgio Chiellini ahead of the semi-final penalty shootout against Spain at Euro 2020 was remarked upon as an indicator of Italy's comfort with the pressure of the 12-yard showdown.

"I always have a smile on my face but have the utmost respect for my opponents," Chiellini explained.

"I will hug them, smile or have a laugh but that’s something that I have always done. I have done that in these games and even more so in this European Championship.

"I am trying to really enjoy every single moment."