Italy, Germany renew their World Cup rivalry

By John F. Molinaro

It's a rematch 24 years in the making.

In the 1982 World Cup final in Madrid, Italy beat West Germany 3-1 to claim its last major title.

Since then, the Germans have gone on to win the World Cup (in 1990) and European Championship (1996), but the loss to the Italians in Spain still hurts - Germany has never beaten Italy in four World Cup matches.

Now, close to a quarter of a century later, Italy and Germany will meet for the first time at the World Cup in Tuesday's semifinal in Dortmund, renewing a timeless rivalry between Europe's two most successful teams.

Between them, Italy and Germany have won six World Cups and four European crowns. Aside from the 1982 final, they also squared off at Mexico City's Azteca Stadium in the 1970 semifinals in what is considered one of the most thrilling and memorable World Cup contests ever.

Italy scored in the seventh minute through Roberto Boninsegna and the Azzurri quickly fell back into its loathsome defensive posture and tried to protect the lead. Italy soaked up the German pressure but finally caved in the 90th minute when Karl-Heinz Schnellinger, a star with AC Milan at the time, scored to send the game into extra time.

Germany ran into trouble just before the end of regulation time when Franz Beckenbauer was violently fouled and suffered a broken clavicle. Germany had already used all of its substitutions and could not bring on another player as a replacement. Beckenbauer, to his credit, refused to come out of the game and leave his team short-handed, and instead kept playing with his arm in a sling during extra time.

What followed was 30 glorious minutes that earned a special place in the soccer pantheon: a heart-stopping battle between two brilliant teams that produced an explosion of drama, tension and goals.

Gerd Muller pounced on a rare defensive error by the Italians and scored in the 95th minute. Defender Tarcisio Burgnich equalized for Italy just three minutes later and Gigi Riva gave the Italians a 3-2 lead in the 103rd minute on a marvellous shot from outside the box.

The game turned again when Muller found the back of the net, this time in the 110th minute, but Gianni Rivera completed the mesmerizing scoring sequence when he scored just two minutes later to seal the win for Italy. The exhausted crowd filed out of the Azteca having witnessed an enthralling and entertaining contest.

"For me, Italy-Germany will always be that legendary 4-3 [game]," current Italy coach Marcello Lippi recently said. "Even though we won a World Cup against them in '82, it's that game from 1970 that I always remember."

Twelve years later, West Germany and Italy met in the World Cup finals on a warm night in Madrid.

The Germans gained few friends after goalkeeper Harald Schumacher's brutal attack on France's Patrick Battiston in the semifinals. Little wonder, then, that the Italians were buoyed by the overwhelming support of the Spanish fans in the final, the Germans viewed as the unscrupulous villains.

The first half at Santiago Bernabeu stadium mirrored a prize fight between two heavyweight boxers: both teams danced around and felt each other out, cautious not to throw a wild punch out of fear of being caught off guard.

Full of fouls and stoppages, the first half was a tedious affair, the lone moment of excitement coming in the 23rd minute when German defender Hans-Peter Briegel fouled Italy's Bruno Conti inside the penalty area. Antonio Cabrini stepped up to the penalty spot, but pushed his effort wide of the post.

It was the first missed penalty shot in a World Cup final, but it was also the turning point in the game. The Italians did not wither on the vine, despondent over Cabrini's miss, but instead regrouped and came out attacking in the second half.

Their persistence paid off when Paolo Rossi - who else? - scored his sixth and final goal of the tournament in the 57th minute. Claudio Gentile strolled down the right wing and knocked a lazy cross into the penalty area. The German defence was guilty of ball-watching as Rossi perfectly timed his run into the box and smashed it past Schumacher.

Twelve minutes later it was 2-0. Defender Gaetano Scirea and Rossi broke down the right side before the ball was played into the middle and Marco Tardelli ripped a vicious shot past a helpless Schumacher.

The Germans were done, but Italy made sure of it in the 81st minute. Conti dragged the German defence out of position and sent a perfect ball across the box for Alessandro Altobelli to knock into the net.

Germany's Paul Breitner scored two minutes later, sweeping a shot past a diving Dino Zoff, but it didn't matter. Italy were World Cup champions for the first time since 1938.

Fast-forward 24 years.

Unbeaten in their last 23 matches, Italy thrashed Germany 4-1 in an exhibition game in March, and Italy also leads the all-time series 13-7, with eight draws.

The humiliating loss in March and the fact that history is on the side of the Italians in this feud doesn't bother German coach Juergen Klinsmann one bit.

"Statistics don't interest us," Klinsmann recently said. "We are a different team now."

Klinsmann played in Italy's Serie A (first division) with Inter Milan when he helped West Germany win the 1990 World Cup in Rome. The former striker has a healthy respect for the Italians, but thinks his German side can advance to its record eighth World Cup final at the expense of the Azzurri.

"We are certain that we'll overcome the next hurdle and beat Italy," Klinsmann said. "Italy is one of the best teams in the world and that's why it's in the final four. . . . It has great history and tradition and deserves the highest respect."

"We think that with our style and game we can beat them, though. And that's what we are going to do [in the semifinals]."

Not if the Italians can help it.

"Germany and ourselves have a 50 per cent chance of going through," said Lippi. "However it ends, it will have been a success.

"But I have a good feeling. We are a strong side and we will show all of our qualities on the field of play such as the value of our players, determination, grit, the desire to win."

Whatever the result, you can be sure that Michael Ballack, Francesco Totti and a host of other current players for both teams will be looking to add their names to the long list of legends who made a name for themselves in one of soccer's greatest rivalries.

John F. Molinaro is the editor of CBC Sports Online's 2006 World Cup website. John covered the 2002 World Cup, 2003 Champions League final and Euro 2004 for Sports Online. He also won a CBC.ca Award of Excellence for his work on Sports Online's Euro 2004 website.