The history of Italian football is on display at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. In the presence of students from two secondary schools in the capital - IC Montessori and IC Fidenae - the Minister of Foreign Affairs Antonio Tajani, FIGC president Gabriele Gravina, Fondazione Museo del Calcio president Matteo Marani, National Team Head Coach Luciano Spalletti and National Team Delegation Head Gianluigi Buffon inaugurated the exhibition "Sfumature di Azzurro" (Shades of Blue). The exhibition will be open to the public on Friday 13 December and Saturday 14 December.  

“Sport and love of country come together,” said Tajani. “The National Team is a symbol of redemption. The choice to host the exhibition here is driven by the belief that sport is part of foreign policy, so much so that I have decided to establish an office in this ministry dedicated to sports diplomacy. Sport attracts interest towards our country and transmits important messages to young people. Football is also a way to avoid wasting time playing video games, which helps to prevent school dropouts and addiction to alcohol and drugs. We must continue to use sport as a tool for peace. We’re living through a terrible period, and we must work for peace.”

In June, Tajani participated in the ribbon-cutting ceremony of 'Casa Azzurri Germania', where Italy fans were able to gather in Iserlohn during the Euros. "The colour blue is dominant and fills us with pride,” said FIGC President Gabriele Gravina. “Every time one of our national teams takes to the pitch, it renews a collective ritual that unites millions of Italians, including those abroad who want to connect with their roots. I thank Tajani, a real football enthusiast and forward-thinking minister. A department like the one dedicated to sport helps to break down barriers. The Azzurri jersey worn by the players represents memory, pride and the future.”

“The relationship Italians have with the tricolour is the same as what I experience,” added Spalletti. “It's something strong, special. For Italians living abroad, it's like a child they haven’t seen in a long time. This connection and affection help me to work in the best way possible. I live out my role as Head Coach in the same way we all used to do as children when running after a ball, and I can carry this forward with my players.” Speaking of ‘abroad’, the National Team’s objective is to qualify for the 2026 World Cup in the USA: “The energy of the fans truly does surprise me daily. We need to rise up to the challenge.”

Fondazione Museo del Calcio president Matteo Marani spoke about the National Team’s history, something which 2006 World Cup winner Gianluigi Buffon is very much a part of. The latter recalled meeting a young mother in Iserlohn who asked him for a photo and was just a child when Italy became world champions in Germany: “It was one of the most touching moments representing the Azzurri jersey because it made me realise how Italians, especially those abroad, see in us a point of reference that allows them to reconnect with their Italian identity. The 2006 final was the most important match of my life. Representing Italy, wearing the Azzurri shirt and feeling so united after our feat in Dortmund meant that we were all so determined to win the trophy together. It was all about the power of unity, something which Italy knows how to put forward when it’s time to fight.”

Another world champion (in 1982), Paolo Rossi, passed away four years ago yesterday. His wife Federica Cappelletti, president of the FIGC Women’s Serie A Division, remembered him: “I can only repeat what Paolo always told me: he wanted to be remembered with the National Team jersey on and his arms raised towards the sky.”

THE EXHIBITION. The objects from Coverciano will allow visitors of the temporary exhibition in Rome to retrace the history of the national football teams through a journey full of legendary clashes and successes. A timeline spanning over a century, one which includes four World Cup titles – symbolised by the stars above the crest on Italy’s jerseys – two European Championship triumphs and an Olympic gold from Berlin in 1936.

From England... to England: the first (in chronological order) of the original memorabilia on display will be the ball from the very first match between Italy and England, which took place on 13 May 1933 in Rome. The timeline of the objects on display ends with the EURO 2020 trophy, which the Azzurri raised to the sky after beating England in the final.

The shirts of Giuseppe Bergomi and Fulvio Collovati, and the pennant from Italy vs. Argentina, relate to the third star, that of the 1982 World Cup, while the ball from the Berlin final, the pennant from the epic semi-final against Germany in Dortmund and Francesco Totti's shirt recall the triumph of 2006.

And then, among the various memorabilia on display, there is also the shirt from Nereo Rocco’s only Italy appearance (as a player, from 1934), the ball from Italy’s first European Championship triumph (in 1968) and the jersey worn by Paolo Rossi at the World Cup in Argentina in 1978, as well as the one donned by Roberto Baggio at France ‘98.

There will also be a section dedicated to the women’s national team, featuring two shirts: that of Elisabetta Vignotto – who is second in the all-time Azzurre ranking for goals scored – and that of Barbara Bonansea, worn during the 2019 Women’s World Cup in France. Additionally, there will be the shirts of Italian referees who have officiated in World Cup finals, namely Sergio Gonella, Pierluigi Collina and Nicola Rizzoli.

But there will not only be shirts, balls, and trophies: the exhibition will also feature the pipes that Pertini and Bearzot exchanged after the Azzurri’s triumph at the Bernabeu, Artemio Franchi's suitcase from the 1974 World Cup trip to West Germany, as well as President Mattarella’s pass for the EURO 2020 final at Wembley.

AUGMENTED REALITY AND THE 1982 FINAL. Visitors will also be able to relive the 1982 World Cup final, Italy’s famous 3-1 victory over West Germany, through virtual reality. By wearing a headset, fans and enthusiasts can experience the sensation of being on the pitch – alongside Bruno Conti, ‘Pablito’ Rossi and ‘Spillo’ Altobelli – or in the stands, accompanied by President Pertini and King Juan Carlos of Spain. The virtual reality project, ‘VR4Football,’ was created by Noema Digital.