Italy set a new world record with 36 games unbeaten by avoiding defeat in their latest game played on Sunday night.
Roberto Mancini’s side’s run surpasses the mark previously held by Brazil and Spain by playing a goalless draw with Switzerland.
It took them to 36 matches without defeat, eclipsing the previous mark shared by Brazil and Spain.
The Azzurri’s unbreakable sequence began on 10 October 2018, just five months into Roberto Mancini’s reign, and has since encompassed qualifying for UEFA EURO 2020 with a 100% record, lifting the Henri Delaunay Cup at Wembley this summer and booking a place in next month’s UEFA Nations League Finals.
There have been 29 wins and seven draws, with 88 goals scored and just 12 conceded. That is enough to eclipse the record of 35 games unbeaten established by Brazil on either side of their 1994 FIFA World Cup triumph, which Spain equalled during their rise to pre-eminence before and after UEFA EURO 2008.
Italy’s last defeat came three years ago, on 10 September 2018, when André Silva struck the only goal for Portugal in a UEFA Nations League fixture.
Longest unbeaten runs
36 Italy (2018–)
35 Spain (2007–09)
35 Brazil (1993–96)
31 Argentina (1991–93)
30 France (1994–96)
30 Italy (1935–39)
Italy’s EURO 2020 road to glory
Italy’s unbeaten run
10/10/18 D 1-1 Ukraine (h)
14/10/18 W 1-0 Poland (a)
17/11/18 D 0-0 Portugal (h)
20/11/18 W 1-0 USA (h)
23/03/19 W 2-0 Finland (h)
26/03/19 W 6-0 Liechtenstein (h)
08/06/19 W 3-0 Greece (a)
11/06/19 W 2-1 Bosnia and Herzegovina (h)
05/09/19 W 3-1 Armenia (a)
08/09/19 W 2-1 Finland (a)
12/10/19 W 2-0 Greece (h)
15/10/19 W 5-0 Liechtenstein (a)
15/11/19 W 3-0 Bosnia and Herzegovina (a)
18/11/19 W 9-1 Armenia (h)
04/09/20 D 1-1 Bosnia and Herzegovina (h)
07/09/20 W 1-0 Netherlands (a)
07/10/20 W 6-0 Moldova (h)
11/10/20 D 0-0 Poland (a)
14/10/20 D 1-1 Netherlands (h)
11/11/20 W 4-0 Estonia (h)
15/11/20 W 2-0 Poland (h)
18/11/20 W 2-0 Bosnia and Herzegovina (a)
25/03/21 W 2-0 Northern Ireland (h)
28/03/21 W 2-0 Bulgaria (a)
31/03/21 W 2-0 Lithuania (a)
28/05/21 W 7-0 San Marino (h)
04/06/21 W 4-0 Czech Republic (h)
11/06/21 W 3-0 Turkey (EURO 2020)
16/06/21 W 3-0 Switzerland (EURO 2020)
20/06/21 W 1-0 Wales (EURO 2020)
26/06/21 W 2-1 Austria, aet (EURO 2020)
02/07/21 W 2-1 Belgium (EURO 2020)
06/07/21 W 1-1, 4-2p Spain (EURO 2020)
11/07/21 W 1-1, 3-2p England (EURO 2020)
02/09/21 D 1-1 Bulgaria (h)
05/09/21 D 0-0 Switzerland (a)
