Italy, Spain and Germany have not won any knock-out game at the World Cup since lifting the trophy.
The Azzurri became World Champions in 2006 under Marcello Lippi, beating France on penalties in an unforgettable Final in Berlin.
However, they have fallen short in the following editions, failing to go beyond the group phase in 2010 and 2014.
Things went even worse as Italy failed to qualify for Russia 2018 with Gian Piero Ventura in charge and Qatar 2022 under Roberto Mancini, who had won the Euros just eight months before losing to North Macedonia in the qualifying play-offs semifinals this past March.
Spain and Germany share the same record as the Azzurri as both sides didn’t win any game knock-out stage game since winning the World Cup.
Spain lifted the trophy in 2010 and were eliminated in the group phase in 2014 and in the Round of 16 in 2018 and 2022.
Germany didn’t qualify for the knock-out phase in the last two editions of the World Cup – Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022 – after lifting the trophy in 2014.
Yes, not good enough clearly, especially for Italy & Germany.
But let’s not forget how many World Cups they both have, Italy winning in 2006 last & Germany in 2014.
Some countries qualify every World Cup, they even make the knockouts often, but guess what..
They don’t ever win!! so Italy, Germany, & even Spain doing better than most anyway.
Spot on Cristiano 👆🏼It still hurts that the Azzurri have failed to qualify the last two times. Let’s hope Italy go on to win the Euros again.
It would seem that there’s a pattern when it comes to winning the soccer cup, once only and the next time it goes to another country.