Italy men's national water polo team

Italy
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 1st, gold medalist(s) (1948, 1960, 1992)
World Championships
Appearances 16 (first in 1973)
Best result 1st, gold medalist(s) (1978, 1994, 2011)
World League
Appearances 7 (first in 2002)
Best result 2nd, silver medalist(s) 2003
World Cup
Appearances 11 (first in 1979)
Best result 1st, gold medalist(s) (1993)
European Championship
Appearances 30 (first in 1927)
Best result 1st, gold medalist(s) (1947, 1993, 1995)
Appearances (first in 1955)
Best result 1st, gold medalist(s) (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 8 Olympic medals, 6 World Championships, 5 World Cup, 11 European Championships medals and 3 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.

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 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 1947.

Palmarès

Competition 1st, gold medalist(s) 2nd, silver medalist(s) 3rd, bronze medalist(s) Total
Olympic Games 3 2 3 8
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
Belgium 1920 11
France 1924 10
Netherlands 1928 Didn't participate
United States 1932 Didn't participate
Germany 1936 Didn't participate
United Kingdom 1948 1st, gold medalist(s)
Finland 1952 3rd, bronze medalist(s)
Australia 1956 4
Italy 1960 1st, gold medalist(s)
Japan 1964 4
Mexico 1968 4
West Germany 1972 8
Canada 1976 2nd, silver medalist(s)
Soviet Union 1980 8
United States 1984 7
South Korea 1988 7
Spain 1992 1st, gold medalist(s)
United States 1996 3rd, bronze medalist(s)
Australia 2000 5
Greece 2004 8
China 2008 9
United Kingdom 2012 2nd, silver medalist(s)
Brazil 2016 3rd, bronze medalist(s)

World Championship

FINA World League

FINA World Cup

Current squad

The following is the Italian roster in the men's water polo tournament of the 2016 Summer Olympics.[2]

Head coach: Alessandro Campagna

№ Name Pos. Height Weight Date of birth 2016 club
1 Tempesti, StefanoStefano Tempesti (c) GK 2.05 m (6 ft 9 in)100 kg (220 lb) 9 June 1979Italy Pro Recco
2 Di Fulvio, FrancescoFrancesco Di Fulvio D 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)88 kg (194 lb) 15 August 1993Italy Pro Recco
3 Gitto, NiccolòNiccolò Gitto CB 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)90 kg (198 lb) 12 October 1986Italy Pro Recco
4 Figlioli, PietroPietro Figlioli D 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)98 kg (216 lb) 29 May 1984Italy Pro Recco
5 Velotto, AlessandroAlessandro Velotto CB 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)85 kg (187 lb) 21 February 1995Italy Canottieri Napoli
6 Bodegas, MichaelMichael Bodegas CF 1.92 m (6 ft 4 in)102 kg (225 lb) 3 May 1987Italy Pro Recco
7 Fondelli, AndreaAndrea Fondelli D 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)96 kg (212 lb) 27 February 1994Italy Pro Recco
8 Gallo, ValentinoValentino Gallo D 1.92 m (6 ft 4 in)95 kg (209 lb) 17 July 1985Italy Posillipo
9 Presciutti, ChristianChristian Presciutti D 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)87 kg (192 lb) 27 November 1982Italy Pro Recco
10 Presciutti, NicholasNicholas Presciutti CB 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)93 kg (205 lb) 14 December 1993Italy Pro Recco
11 Aicardi, MatteoMatteo Aicardi CF 1.92 m (6 ft 4 in)102 kg (225 lb) 19 April 1986Italy Pro Recco
12 Nora, AlessandroAlessandro Nora D 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)85 kg (187 lb) 24 May 1987Italy AN Brescia
13 Del Lungo, MarcoMarco Del Lungo GK 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)97 kg (214 lb) 1 March 1990Italy AN Brescia

References

  1. ↑ http://www.federnuoto.it/federazione.asp?p=testo&id=40 History of Italian Water Polo
  2. ↑ "Olimpiadi. Il Settebello per Rio de Janeiro" [Olympics: Settebello to Rio de Janeiro] (in Italian). Federazione Italiana Nuoto. 17 July 2016. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
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