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Even though club football enjoys a widespread following, there is no denying that international football is in a league of its own. The international break amidst an ongoing season comes as a breath of fresh air for fans and their players.
Spectators are excited to see their favorite national stars come together beyond club rivalries. Meanwhile, the players often beam with pride after getting an opportunity to don their national team jersey.
The international stage is often the perfect platform for a player to prove his worth as a whole. Many legends of the game have admitted that a trophy with their country brings much more joy than that with a club.
The football world is busy getting back to club football after a short international break. But we recently came across Italy breaking the record for the longest unbeaten run.
In this article, let us take a look at Italy's record along with other national teams with the longest unbeaten streaks in football history.
#5 France — 30 (1994-1996)
After failing to qualify for consecutive FIFA World Cups in 1990 and 1994, a disappointed French national team converted their frustration into something positive.
Starting from 16 February 1994, Les Bleus went on an unbeaten spree until 9 October 1996. Which means, under the guidance of manager Aimé Jacquet, France continued to go about 2 years and 8 months without tasting a defeat.
The current world champions achieved this feat between the period of 1994 and 1996 after appointing Aimé Jacquet as a temporary coach. However, Jacquet went on to develop a new team around captain Didier Deschamps and young blood Zidane. Undoubtedly, Aimé Jacquet was promoted to a full-time role.
#4 Argentina — 31 (1991-1993)
Another team that was triggered by a heart-breaking defeat before rewriting the record book is Argentina. Having lost the 1990 FIFA World Cup final versus West Germany, the Albiceleste stockpiled 31 games undefeated.
With Gabriel Batisuta as their attacking spearhead, Argentina took off following a 2-0 victory over Hungary in a friendly face-off. The South Americans ended their unbeaten campaign by bagging back-to-back Copa America trophies in 1991 and 1993.
The latter was also their last major trophy before entering a 28-year drought that came to an end with the 2021 Copa America victory. During that period, Gabriel Batistuta stood at the pinnacle of his career and became Argentina's all-time top scorer. However, the same feat is now under their current captain Leo Messi's belt.
#3 Brazil — 35 (1993-1996)
Right after their rivals ended their unbeaten streak, the Brazilians picked up to create a record of their own.
The Canarinha dominated international football during the early to mid-nineties and remained unbeaten for over two years. The men in yellow experienced a loss at the hands of Germany in a friendly in 1993.
It was their last defeat as they went on to create a record and also grab the 1994 FIFA World Cup trophy that was held in the United States of America. Brazilian legends Dunga (also the team captain), Bebeto and Romario were the team's spearheads during their dream run.
Their rampage was put to an end by the Mexican national team in the 1996 Gold Cup final.
#2 Spain — 35 (2007-2009)
Sharing the record with Brazil, the Spanish national team started off their unbeaten run with Andres Iniesta's first international goal that handed them the victory versus England in 2007.
From being underachievers until late 2000s, La Roja went onto dominate world football from 2007. They remained without experiencing a single loss throughout the year and the next. The feat continued until the 2009 Confederations Cup semifinal where Spain succumbed to USA by 2-0.
However, that didn't stop Spain from wreaking havoc. Under the leadership of their most decorated captain Iker Casillas, Spain filled their trophy cabinets with two Euros (2008, 2012) and one FIFA World Cup (2010) between 2008 and 2012.
The Spanish team during the aforementioned period is considered one of the strongest teams ever in the history of football.
#1 Italy —37 (2018-present)
Italy bags top spot to become the team with the longest unbeaten streak in football history. Despite having broken the record already, Italy's unbeaten run is still on-going.
Failing to secure a berth at the 2018 FIFA World Cup, the Azzurri faced widespread criticism. Having Roberto Mancini at the helm shaped the Italians from within into a gigantic threat for every opponent they faced.
After losing against Cristiano Ronaldo's eventual UEFA Nations League-winning Portuguese team back in 2018, Italy turned themselves into an unstoppable machine.
Mancini's charges grabbed the UEFA EURO 2020 trophy without losing a single game and are strong contenders for the upcoming 2022 FIFA World Cup. Meanwhile, Gli Azzurri are enjoying their unbeaten run and are yet to find a worthy hurdle.
Stay tuned for similar articles and let us know your favorite international football moments in the comments section.
