Euro 2024: What is Italy’s national anthem?
Italy head into Euro 2024 as the defending champions – but what will their players be singing before the games?
Italy head into Euro 2024 as defending champions after their win against England on penalties at Wembley in the delayed 2020 tournament.
Euro 2020 was put back to 2021 due to Covid-19 and the Azzurri triumphed against the odds, beating Spain and then England in back-to-back shootouts to claim the title.
Unbeaten in six games since a 3-1 defeat to England last October, Italy have won three of their four matches in 2024. Luciano Spalletti's side drew 0-0 with Turkey in Bologna last week and then beat Bosnia and Herzegovina 1-0 in Empoli on Sunday in their final two Euro 2024 warm-up matches.
What is Italy's national anthem?
Italy's national anthem, entitled "Il Canto degli Italiani" ("The Song of Italians"),was written by Goffredo Mameli and set to music by Michele Novaro in 1847.
It is often referred to as "Inno di Mameli" ("Mameli's Hymn"), after the author of the lyrics, or "Fratelli d'Italia" ("Brothers of Italy"), from the famous opening line.
The patriotic tune is instantly recognisable to football fans and has preceded some great triumphs for the Azzurri over the years.
Italy won the last major men's football tournament held in Germany, the 2006 World Cup, as they beat France on penalties in the final in Berlin.
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At Euro 2024, the Azzurri have been drawn in a tough sector alongside Spain, Crotia and Albania.
Spalletti's side kick off their Euros campaign against Albania in Dortmund next Saturday, before matches against Spain in Gelsenkirchen and Croatia in Leipzig in their remaining Group B fixtures.
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Ben Hayward is a European football writer and Tottenham Hotspur fan with over 15 years’ experience, he has covered games all over the world - including three World Cups, several Champions League finals, Euros, Copa America - and has spent much of that time in Spain. Ben speaks English and Spanish, currently dividing his time between Barcelona and London, covering all the big talking points of the weekend on FFT: he’s also written several list features and interviewed Guglielmo Vicario for the magazine.